A SCHOOL is hoping to build a new teaching block to cope with a 300-student “bulge”.

Chase High School in Westcliff has submitted a planning application for a three-storey teaching block having agreed to take on an extra 300 students at its Prittlewell Chase base.

However the school will need a new block to cope to with the extra pupils from September.

Chairman of governors for the school, Anthony McGarel, said: “Southend Council is working with a number of schools in the area to plan additional places to meet projected demand.

“Primary schools expanded and have what is known as a ‘bulge’.

“Chase and the council have agreed to take two more forms of entry - another 60 children per year.

“In order to accommodate the increase it is necessary to build more classrooms.”

The proposed block would include 14 extra classrooms, a ground-floor dining area, as well as offices, toilets, and storage rooms.

A new car park providing 13 spaces will also be built, along with four all-weather netball courts.

The proposal would also include building over an area of green space currently used as an overspill car park. The council has stressed that any development would need to comply with their requirements regarding green space. In their planning statement architects Ingleton Wood LLP, working on behalf of Chase School, contend that this area should not be classed as a “protected green space”.

The statement reads: “The green space provides no visual amenity and is not suitable for recreation for pupils or visitors to the community centre.

“The green space is also inaccessible to the wider community and differs vastly to typical publicly open spaces such as parks and other accessible greenspaces.”

The planning statement also suggests building on this site is the best of the four proposed options, as it will cause the least disturbance to neighbours while the building work is going on and when the block is completed.