THE planning application for the expansion of a Portishead school has been submitted.

The plans are for the construction of a two-storey building at St Peter’s Primary School in Halletts Way, along with landscaping works that include new football pitches, hard play courts and additional parking.

The new building will be home to nine classrooms, smaller group rooms, a learning resource centre and new school hall, as well as toilets and cloakroom facilities.

The extension will allow St Peter’s to become a three-form entry school accommodating up to 630 pupils. It currently has two classes for each year group and is a 420-pupil school.

The project to expand the school has been progressed following a public consultation and will now be subject to the North Somerset Council planning process, which provides another opportunity for the public to comment on the proposals.

Parents and residents living nearby say their main fear is the increase in traffic the additional pupil numbers will bring and associated road safety issues.

A recently acquired plot of land adjacent to the school site and the High Street, that is to be used as a ‘kiss and drop’ car park, is also causing concern.

A mum with two young children at the school, who did not want to be named, said: “The proposed new car park is definitely a bone of contention. The entrance lane is very narrow and I and many other parents cannot see how this route can accommodate two-way traffic. The safety of the children must be a priority and we feel very strongly that more thought needs to be put into this drop-off scheme.”

The planning application provides full details of traffic management for the proposed scheme and confirms the school caretaker will be in the car park during drop-off and pick-up times to ensure the rules set are adhered to.

The planning application can be viewed on the North Somerset Council website.