A school’s plans to expand its car park to make pick up and drop off less dangerous have been met with firm opposition.

St Laurence-in-Thanet Junior Academy unveiled proposals to transform 700sq m of playing field into 40 spaces to help prevent traffic gnarling up.

But Sports England launched an official objection to the district council voicing concerns the project would strip children’s variety of physical activities.

The scheme would include taking some land from the north east side of the school’s playing field and extending the current access roads to allow more room at peak times.

Due to the size of the current car park, parents have stopped on Newington Road, including on double yellow lines, or are using spaces at a nearby doctor's surgery due to the lack of available off-street parking.

It was stated in the design and access statement, submitted by planning agents for the school, Kgen, that the new proposals will secure the school in the long term.

The Canterbury-based firm said: “The purpose of the proposed improvements is to provide much-needed appropriate and safe car parking spaces for members of the school community.

“It will remove the need for parents to stop/park on the main road or other unsuitable areas at drop-off/pick-up times.

“Therefore, the car park development is an important project for St Laurence-In-Thanet CE Junior Academy as it looks to provide much-needed appropriate and safe car parking spaces.

“The improvement to the current layout will allow two vehicles to pass and to help ease the flow of traffic during the morning and afternoon rush whilst parents are dropping off and picking up children to and from school - enabling cars to easily enter, drop children off and exit the site safely.

“The project is also crucial to the school's sustainability, which has to cope with a falling roll (currently 150+ pupils) due to parents with vehicles choosing other local schools with better and safer car parking and drop-off facilities.”

In addition to the new car park spaces, the new layout will include a wider entrance to the school, a new drop-off area and a turning circle.

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No public objections have been lodged against the application; however, Sports England has registered its disapproval of the project.

The governing body has opposed the scheme because, due to the site’s layout, the plans will result in the loss of some 700sq m of land designated as a playing field.

In its objection, the authority said: “Sports England’s policy is to oppose the granting of planning permission for any development which would lead to the loss of, or prejudice the use of: all or any part of a playing field, or land which has been used as a playing field land remains undeveloped, or land allocated for use as a playing field unless, in the judgement of Sport England, the development as a whole meets with one or more of five specific exceptions.

“Part of the proposal is for a new car park and access road which will result in the loss of approximately 700m2 of playing field.

“The applicants have failed to address National Planning Policy Framework or Sport England England’s planning policies.

“Looking at historical aerial photographs on Google Earth, it can be seen that the school playing field has been laid over the years in a number of different configurations for different sports and sizes of pitches.

“The loss of the playing field will restrict this in the future.”

A decision is expected on the plans, which have been recommended for approval by planning officers, at this week’s Thanet District Council meeting on Wednesday.