Heights Primary School: Council advised to grant planning permission

Campaigners have previously threatened to take legal action if the playing fields were developed

Controversial plans to build a free school on playing fields are set to go ahead after the government recommended a council grants planning permission.

Reading Borough Council has been advised by the Department of Education to authorise plans for The Heights Free School to be built on Mapledurham playing fields in Caversham.

Campaigners previously vowed legal action to stop the school being built.

The authority's planning committee will vote on the plans on 4 April.

A council report published ahead of the meeting details that "[Councillors are advised to] delegate to the head of planning, development and regulatory services to grant planning permission by 30 May 2018."

Plans state that a primary school for 350 pupils and a car park will be built on the plot

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) identified the playing fields as its chosen plot for the school in August 2015, saying it would pay £1.36m for the site.

Plans include a primary school for 350 pupils, a car park and improvements to the playing fields.

Campaigners have argued the land should be kept for community use.

The school building and car park, the report acknowledges, will remove grassed open space which is currently regularly marked out for football pitches.

Pupils have been taught in temporary buildings in Caversham since September 2014 while the school's site is decided.