Heights Primary School: Reading council grants planning permission

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

Planning permission has been granted for a permanent school to be built on playing fields in Berkshire.

Hundreds of local people had objected to the plans but Reading Borough Council decided in favour of The Heights Free School being built on Mapledurham fields, Caversham.

The authority had been advised by the Department of Education to authorise plans.

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

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 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.