A bid for more grammar places in Kent has been approved.

Kent County Council has today agreed to the demands of more than 2,600 parents to create more places for pupils who pass the 11-plus.

In what is a significant move, county councillors voted in favour of the plan for a new four-form entry selective school.

There will be two forms for girls and two for boys, catering for about 120 children. It would be set up up as a ‘satellite’ school linked to existing grammars in either Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells.

Speaking after the decision, Andrew Shilling, lead petitioner, said: "This is great news for the children of Sevenoaks as they may finally get the local grammar school places they so desperately need and deserve.

"These additional grammar school places are needed now and so we hope the council will move quickly."

Cllr Mike Whiting. cabinet member for education, earlier said the costs could be anything between £13 and £15million.

The plan was contentious politically, acting as a new focal point for the debate about the merits of selection.

The government has ruled out setting up new selective schools except in circumstances where a growth in pupil numbers would warrant expansion and there is a shortage of places.

A report by council education officials responding to the e-petition, said there wasa case for creating more secondary places, with the number of Sevenoaks children needing places increasing to 681 by 2018 - currently, the number is 495.

Of the 2,533 secondary school pupils in the south of Sevenoaks, nearly half travel out of the area to grammars elsewhere. A further 736 attend non-selective schools in other parts of the county.

Parent Sarah Shilling, who has been spearheading the campaign, said she was encouraged by the news, but cautioned that the process could take some time.

"It would be very simple to say ‘you can have a grammar’ and that would be the best solution but that is not allowed under legislation. It is not going to be straightforward. But KCC recognises they have to do something because of the increasing population."

One option could be for the new satellite school to move on to the site of the Wildernesse School, which is due to become vacant in 2014.

KCC’s report acknowledges the proposal presents challenges, not least in finding the money to pay for the school.

The government says it will not provide funds, meaning the bill for development would be picked up by KCC.