3:43pm Friday 4th January 2008
AN infant school is hoping to expand to boost its pupil numbers and create a playing field in a neighbouring park.
The governing body of Wickford CofE Infant school has approached county council bosses with plans to develop a 210-place primary school on its site in Mount Road.
It currently caters for 135 pupils.
Fears were raised by residents that the school hoped to expand into the nearby Wickford Memorial Park.
However, Karen Garlick, county council's planning and admissions adviser, said this was because the school hoped to use part of the park as a playing field. In an e-mail to Alan Ball, chairman of Wickford Action Group, she said: "There are presently no plans to relocate the school in the memorial park.
"The National Curriculum requirements for physical education at Key Stage 2 require schools to have a suitable size playing field, which cannot be accommodated at Mount Road.
"As part of their proposal, the school is investigating the possibility of leasing land in the memorial park from Basildon Council to use as a detached playing field.
"A public consultation will be undertaken if the county council decides to pursue the proposal further."
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