Plans for a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) classroom for a Surrey school has been given the go-ahead.

The applicant, Surrey County Council (SCC), said the development at St John the Baptist School in Woking would provide education to 30 autistic students, aged 11 to 16 within the local and surrounding area.

High numbers of children with additional needs and disabilities have to travel long distances to attend schools which meet their requirements, according to council documents. But SCC hopes that placing a new SEN Unit in Woking will give residents with autistic children closer access to specialist provision and reduce journey times.

The scheme includes a standalone, single storey building located next to the arts block, along with 37 parking and bicycle spaces. Taking up 539 sqm, the new building is proposed to be behind the main school on the right-hand side, in between the football pitch and the rest of the playing field.

Although the classroom would be built on a playing field, on Green Belt Land, councillors at a Planning Regulatory Committee on December 18 agreed that very special circumstances meant the development could go ahead.

Although members regretted the loss of the playing field, Cllr John Robini (Haslemere/ Liberal Democrat) said: “The county needs these types of schools for SEN.”

Surrey has seen significant growth in the number of children with SEN including autism with a long-term gap for specialist school places in Woking and north-west Surrey, according to planning documents.

“EHCPs have doubled since 2017, we have to provide this facility,” said Cllr Jeremy Webster (Caterham Hill/ Conservative).

Concerns were raised over the increased traffic around the residential properties and allotment area which back onto the development. People commenting on the application said the roads around the school were not wide enough and could cause congestion.

They added that off-street parking around the residential neighbourhood is not a suitable alternative if the school’s car park is full, but council officers said it would just be four cars.

But Surrey Highway officers have said, using a worst-case scenario assumption method, there will not be any severe impacts on the highway network. Officers recommended that the only access route to the new SEN classroom is via Coniston Road, while the rest of the school would continue to use Elmbridge Lane.