PROPOSALS to extend a Cricklade School have been met with fierce opposition from residents in the town.

Meadowpark School wishes to put a new building on its High Street site that will include three extra classrooms, improve its facilities and increase its pupil capacity from 35 to 84.

But many residents have concerns that the proposed building, which will be constructed of timber cladding with metal sheeting on the roof, will cause traffic congestion, flooding and change the character of the town.

At the Cricklade Town Council planning committee meeting last week, councillors voted against the proposals.

Cllr Mark Clarke, committee member and chairman of the town council, made the proposal to object to the application, as he thought the building would not fit with the character of the town and its roof was too high.

He said that if the development went ahead, the school might build covered walkways between the new and the old buildings and they might not be in keeping with the town.

Resident Nicholas Rose, whose Knoll Cottage property is behind the proposed extension to the school, spoke against the application.

He explained that the extension would be visible from the nearby River Thames and that its timber, glass and metal structure was not in keeping with the heritage and character of the town and his 17 Century Grade II11 Listed cottage.

He added that the new building would act as a dam, stopping excess water from the draining into grassland, and as a result his property could become susceptible to flooding.

Steve Forrester, who lives in the High Street, said there was currently poor visibility and congestion at the entrances to the school when parents drop off and collect their children and that if the school increased its capacity, there could be accidents.

Chris Winfield, whose daughter attends the school, said he had never experienced any congestion around the school when dropping her off or picking her up.

He said that extending the school would benefit the excellent teaching and facilities at a school which recently received an Outstanding byrating from Ofsted.

Rajvinder Kular, headteacher of Meadowpark School, said after the meeting that she shared concerns about the speed of the traffic through Cricklade and was keen for it to slow down, as children’s safety was paramount.

She said: “Pick-up and drop-off times are staggered to avoid any impact on rush hour. The car park behind the school is always used by parents and is opened up to the wider community for events, thus decreasing congestion. ”

After the meeting, resident Gerdie Schaffer said: “The clear lack of knowledge of various important local issues as evidenced variously both by aspects of the proposal and comments made by staff and parents gives Cricklade residents little confidence in how the school would be inclined to go forward in the locality or take its place, genuinely, as a good neighbour.”

So far, Wiltshire Council has received over more than 200 letters of representation on the application. Wiltshire Council has asked for a traffic statement to be carried out.

The application is scheduled to be heard at the Wiltshire Council Offices at Monkton Park, Chippenham at 3pm on January 28, 2015.