Pupil numbers at a secondary school in Bordon look set to increase by a third to cope with the town’s growing population.

An application to increase the number of students at Oakmoor School from 900 to 1,200 has been submitted by Hampshire County Council.

The proposed expansion is needed to support the town’s large-scale regeneration with up to 2,400 new homes earmarked for the Bordon area.

Parts of the school like the assembly hall, resource learning centre and dining area were designed with expansion in mind.

With 851 of the school’s 900 places currently occupied, there’s certainly a need for more room to accommodate the town’s growing number of seven to 11 year-olds.

The school currently has six forms of entry but this figure would rise to eight with a two-storey extension planned to accommodate the extra 300 pupils.

The additional classrooms should be open by September 2025 while numerous rooms will be converted for science and art uses.

In all, more than 1,500 square metres of extra learning space and storage will be created if the plans are approved.

The expansion will also mean 33 new jobs at the town centre school with places for 19 additional teachers and 14 non-teaching workers.

The number of parking spaces will also increase from 80 to 108 if the plans are approved while extra storage for pedal and electric cycles is also proposed.

Parents and consultees were first made aware of the intended work during the spring as a four-week consultation began in March.

“The demand for additional school places is a result of a rise in the number of children reaching secondary school age and new housing developments in the area,” stated the letter to consultees.

“It is intended that permanent facilities will be available from September 2025.”

To comment on the planning application, visit https://www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment and search for the reference number HCC/2023/0383.