Plans for a major new block at a secondary school to cater for an influx of more than 300 pupils have been revealed.

Meopham School is planning to expand its pupil intake via a new two-storey school building based on the existing site in Wrotham Road, Gravesend.

The proposals would see the number of students at the mixed non-selective, currently 849, expand to 1,156 with 150 staff members.

For the past four years the school has taken on an additional 30 pupils per year at the request of the education authority, Kent County Council (KCC).

These students are currently accommodated in temporary buildings.

A planning application submitted to KCC sets out designs for a new two-form entry expansion on a disused area of the site where there were previously school buildings before they were demolished.

The new building will provide new teaching and learning spaces as well as a music classroom, drama and dance studio and a main hall.

It is envisaged some of these spaces will be made available for community use outside of school hours.

Four trees will need to be removed to accommodate the new school building with the planting of several new trees proposed to off-set the loss.

Plans also accommodate 40 additional parking spaces for staff as well as cycle parking.

There are currently seven secondary schools in the Gravesend area with Northfleet Technology College under consideration for an expansion and Longfield School offering additional places under a local arrangement for several years.

Education chiefs are forecasting a deficit of more than 100 school places if facilities are not expanded in line with local population growth and the increasing demand already placed on primaries.

As part of the measures being taken to address the capacity issues, KCC is proposing that Meopham School increase their pupil intake number by 60, taking it to 200 for 2021.

Meopham has been run by the Swale Academies Trust since 2013 and opened a brand new £14 million building in 2018.

During its most recent inspection in January 2019 the school was rated as "Outstanding" by Ofsted and was recognised as the highest performing non-selective school in Kent for the third year running.

KCC, which is behind the scheme, says the extension would therefore be in line "with the expectation of expanding popular and successful schools".

A planning statement read: "The successful delivery of this proposed and appropriate expansion will assist in providing a sustainable platform for increased skills in the local area, in line with local and national policy guidelines.

"The provision of additional and permanent secondary education facilities is seen to be a major material consideration in the determination of this application due to the important contribution it will make to the local community and in meeting local infrastructure requirements."

It added: "Meopham School is the only remaining candidate for expansion, and also has the space to do this without impacting on its playing field provision which is a welcome benefit.

"The local authority has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places and on balance, to address the current and future demand for additional secondary places, considers that Meopham School provides the best solution to ensure that the local communities in Gravesham have access to a school of their choice which offers high quality teaching facilities."

However, some concerns were raised over traffic and the impact on the local road network.

Meopham Parish Council highlighted issues regarding the impact of the development, if approved, on the A227.

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend