A school is due to get a new sports pitch.

Bidborough CofE Primary School near Tunbridge Wells will be getting a 3G pitch after plans were approved by councillors.

The school in Spring Lane made the application in November, saying it was unable to offer a full PE curriculum because its playing field gets too waterlogged to use for much of the year.

The fenced off multi-use pitch is due to be located on the field, and will be used by the breakfast and after school club, as well as for PE.

The plans were approved during a meeting of Kent County Council's planning applications committee this morning.

The school is located on green belt land is also next to the Bidborough Conservation Area and High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

For this reason, objections were raised about the visual impact of having the pitch fenced off.

Committee chairman, Cllr Andy Booth (Con), said the application would amount to a "dramatic improvement to the school."

He added: "Anything where we are looking at the provision for educational need and development and also the provision for improving facilities are two, in my opinion, massive tick boxes.

"I totally understand the concerns about the AONB and green belt, however, when we have an overwhelming demand to improve a school, and offer something that is going to enhance it – let's not forget this is for the children of that site.

"Anything that we see before us on this application I would suggest would be hugely advantageous to many schools throughout Kent and they would look at it with some degree of green eyes."