Two Spalding primary schools are hoping to expand to meet the need for extra places.
Pinchbeck East Primary School has been granted planning permission for a two classroom extension, while plans for two more permanent classrooms at Spalding Primary School have also been submitted.
The classrooms are in addition to a new primary academy due to open on Spalding’s Wygate Park estate from September.
Pinchbeck East Primary School was granted permission last month on the grounds it would improve the education provision for children, despite some concerns from people living nearby about traffic congestion.
The school, which is graded “outstanding” by Ofsted is due to take in 60 reception children in September – up from 45 in previous years.
As part of its application for the new classrooms, the school vowed to develop a travel plan which would see children being encouraged to take their Cycle Proficiency test and cycle or walk to school.
At a meeting of Lincolnshire County Council’s planning and regulation committe, at which the plans were granted, Helen Banks, on behalf of the school, said a “school train” whereby children would meet at a specific location to travel to school had already been working well.
She said the school had taken up the offer of some residents for visitors to the school to use their driveways and added: “The executive head teacher has given an assurance that they would work with all the relevant agencies to improve traffic congestion near the school.”
Discussions on the plan for two new classrooms at Spalding Primary School, in Woolram Wygate, will also take into account residents’ traffic concerns.
Inconsiderate parking by parents at school drop-off and pick-up times has long been a bugbear for many residents living near the school.
Last summer residents objected to the siting of two new mobile classrooms in the school grounds to cope with more children starting in reception.
They feared the extra numbers would lead to even greater traffic problems, but had hoped the increase would only be temporary until the new academy opened this September.
However, the school now hopes to replace the mobile buildings with two permanent classrooms, suggesting numbers of pupils will not fall back to its previous level.
The plans are recommended for approval when the county council’s planning and regulation committee meets on June 2, despite objections from residents and South Holland district ward councillor Angela Newton.
One objector has called for a new entrance to the school to be created from Claudette Avenue as a drop-off point to help alleviate the problems in Woolram Wygate.
