PLANS to expand a Wrexham primary school to accommodate an extra 120 pupils look set to go ahead despite concerns over parking.

Wrexham Council has been consulting on proposals to increase full time pupil numbers at Barker’s Lane Community Primary School from 210 to 315.

Education officials said the move, which will also see the number of nursery children go up from 30 to 45, had been put forward to meet a growing demand.

The statutory notice period for the changes has now come to a close and all views have been collected.

Objections have been raised by people living nearby about the impact on parking outside the school, including a total of eleven individual responses and a petition signed by 24 residents.

One respondent said: “I share grave concerns about the potential increase in traffic the local community will play witness to, if the expansion goes ahead.

“As it stands, there is currently inadequate car parking facilities at the proposed site, causing members of the public to park on private land opposite the school.

“I also have concerns regarding the safety of those attending the school.

“As it stands there are very little precautions in places to aid pupils and parents crossing a busy road.

“If the proposal is to go ahead, this issue will only worsen unless proper safety precautions – such as a zebra crossing – are put into place.”

But despite the issues raised, the council has signalled its intention to go ahead with the expansion, which the ruling administration will be asked to support next week.

As part of the proposals, an extension would be added to the current building  and the first year in which numbers would be increased would be September 2020.

During the latest round of admissions, the council’s education department was unable to meet the demand for places at Barker’s Lane.

It meant some pupils whose parents chose it as their preferred school had to be refused.

Cllr Phil Wynn, lead member for education, said the parking concerns would be addressed by adding a new staff car park.

In a report, he said: “Out of the 12 representations received throughout the statutory notice period the majority of objections referred to traffic and parking issues.

“These are issues that are currently present at the school and we feel would be mitigated by providing a staff car park on site, which the school currently does not have.

“If a decision is taken not to proceed with the current proposal it is likely that, given the increase in demand for town centre primary education, temporary accommodation may need to be provided on current sites, for which there is no current external funding available.

“This is, at best, a short term solution.

“The local authority believes that despite the objections received this proposal is the most effective use of resources available.”

Funding for the proposals will be provided by the Welsh Government.

Wrexham Council’s executive board will meet to discuss the plans on Tuesday, July 8.