A SCHOOL is set to double in size after the council approved plans to build a new block of classrooms.

Red Hill CE Primary School, in Midhurst Close, Battenhall, Worcester, is undergoing a £2.9m expansion as a result of rising demand for primary school places.

Worcestershire County Council voted in favour of building a two-storey classroom block at the school in a planning and regulatory committee meeting on Tuesday.

A community room will also be added to the school as part of the work, which is due to start in August.

The new block will house six classrooms and enable a further 210 pupils to study at the school.

Spencer Morris, the school’s headteacher, said: “It’s a pretty exciting time for Red Hill School. “Years ago we had a story about children in our catchment who couldn’t get a place with us.

“We pride ourselves on working with the local community and children living in the community should be able to go to the local school.”

The block will be constructed on the school’s netball court, which will be rebuilt on a grass play area.

Mr Morris said the new development would not encroach on the school’s sports field.

Cllr Rob Adams, chairman of the county council’s planning and regulatory committee, said: “This development is necessary as pupil numbers are growing.

“It makes perfect sense and is a great expansion for the school. The plans have my full support.”

Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member for education and skills, said: “We want to provide adequate capacity by creating the right number of school places to respond to parental preference.”

The school hall will also be enlarged. Red Hill is due to double its Reception year intake to 60 for the first time in September.

The new community room will be used for a range of activities, including a before and after school club, and will be loaned to the local residents’ association in the evenings.

The project is being managed by Place Partnership, in association with Jacobs, and the work is expected to be complete by the end of August 2018.