More than 60 more “much needed” school places are going to be created at a St Neots school for children with special educational needs.

Cambridgeshire County Council has approved plans to expand the Samuel Pepys School, in Cromwell Road.

The school teaches children and young people between the ages of three and 19-years-old.

Currently the school has space for 102 pupils, but the new expansion will allow it to take 165 pupils.

The planning application, submitted by the county council as the education authority, proposed to build a single storey extension to the school, as well as building a “modest” sized gym.

The extension is proposed to be built out the front of the existing school building and will create space for five new classrooms, a kitchen, a new main entrance and office.

Under the plans, part of the neighbouring business’s car park will be sold to the school to be turned into a new car park for the expanded school.

At a meeting of the county council’s planning committee this week (May 17), some councillors raised concerns about the business and the school sharing the same access to the car parks.

Councillor Anna Bradnam said she had safeguarding concerns about people being able to access the school’s car park.

Councillors heard that the school would be surrounded by fencing, and that a fob will be needed by staff at the neighbouring business to open the car park gate, and that they would be clearly informed as to which were the businesses parking spaces.

Officers also highlighted that the further details of the vehicle access were required to be submitted to the county council for further approval.

Councillor Mark Goldsack said the existing school was “fantastic” and that additional school spaces for children with specific educational needs were “long overdue” and “much needed” in the county.

When the plans were put to a vote the councillors voted unanimously in favour of approving the application.