PLANS to expand a successful primary school by a quarter and build a new set of classrooms on its play area are set to be approved tomorrow (THURSDAY).

Lancashire County Council's cabinet will be recommended to authorise the increase in size for Briercliffe school in Burnley.

Councillors will be asked to approve a temporary increase for one year in the reception intake of the primary on Delamere Road from 45 to 60 in September 2020.

They are also recommended to authorise a permanent rise in future reception intakes to 60 pupils through building new teaching accommodation on part of the the existing play area of the school.

This will eventually mean a rise in the primary school's total number of pupils from 315 to more than 400.

The report to the county council cabinet follows Burnley being identified by officials as a 'hotspot' for increasing demand for primary school places due to a rising birth rate and new housing developments.

In the north of the borough the number of places needed is expected to rise from 365 a year now to 373 annually by September 2022.

The report also warns of increase demand for reception places in local primaries because of new housing developments in the area.

Briercliffe primary was chose for expansion because of its current high pupil attainment levels and 'Good' rating by Ofsted, parental preference, closeness to the projected growth in demand for places and the layout of the school site and the area available on it to expand the school buildings while retaining enough play and sports space.

The school also expressed an interest in expanding its pupil intake.