Up to 30 more special educational needs school places could be created at a Woking school according to new plans submitted by Surrey County Council (SCC).

The education authority is looking to build a new wing on the grounds of St John the Baptist’s School in Elmbridge Road. It would create enough space for 30 SEND pupils with a new car parking area for 20 staff members, with a further 14 bays for pupil drop offs and three disabled spaces.

Plans were sent to Woking Borough Council as part of the formal consultation process with planners confident the desperate need for special education places in Surrey will be enough to overcome any problems with building on the green belt.

“The educational need for the proposal should be afforded significant weight in the decision and represents a considerable very special circumstance sufficient to support the proposal,” the report read.

It added: “The proposals also gain significant weight from policies within national and local policy guidance supporting proposals to expand educational facilities.”

SCC’s plans are to build the new SEND class space entirely within the grounds of St John’s. In order to accommodate the new building it has proposed repositioning the playing fields.

The report read: “The impact upon the playing fields was recognised at an early stage and pre-application advice sought from Sport England regarding the loss of land associated with the playing fields. 

“Initial concern was raised by Sport England that there would be an impact on playing fields, plans were provided indicating that the existing pitches would continue to be accommodated on the school playing fields following the proposed development.

“This was accomplished by demonstrating existing pitch layouts could be moved slightly further northwards and still provide the same sporting facilities. On this basis Sport England were able to support the proposals.”

The increased pupil and staff numbers at the expanded site are likely to lead to an additional 130 car trips per day, split between the start and end of each school day.

Concluding, the report read: “The proposals would provide a dedicated SEND school building to meet the educational needs.”

It added: “The proposed building is well related to the existing cluster of school buildings and would utilise an existing surfaced access route.

“Whilst the site is located within the Green Belt the impact upon openness is considered to be modest, the building is well designed and low rise and set within the main school complex. 

“The car park would only impact upon the openness of the green belt at times when vehicles are parked however that is moderated by the existing tree screening, the proposed landscaping and the location of the parking (and the building, amongst the cluster of school buildings), and proximity to the Cardinal Football Centre to the south. 

“The proposal provides much needed educational accommodation, supported by government and local plan policy and there are very special circumstances regarding the educational need of the proposal together with its modest impact upon green belt openness which support the proposal.”