Kent Highways will not be objecting to an expansion of Jubilee School, even though it will result in “100% parking occupancy”.

Kent County Council’s senior development planner, Terry Drury, has considered traffic assessments submitted by the Fant school in support of its bid to expand from a one-form entry to two-form taking 420 pupils.

He acknowledged that “100% parking occupancy” was expected to occur at Ridgeway, Cowdrey Close, Chamberlain Avenue and Burghclere Drive during the school’s afternoon pick-up time, with near 100% in Gatland Lane and Sherbourne Drive.

But he said congestion could be expected to decline quickly after the school’s end and that the situation during the morning drop-off would be less severe, because parents arrived across a broader time range.

Mr Drury noted the “theoretical capacity of Gatland Lane” would not be exceeded, despite neighbours’ fears over increased congestion.

With a couple of minor amendments, such as the provision of a restricted parking area close to the footway access to the school, Mr Drury said: “It is not considered that there are tangible grounds to sustainably recommend refusal of the application.”

The application has been opposed by 14 members of the public, the Save Fant Farm Group, and Labour ward councillors Paul Harper and Keith Adkinson.