EDUCATION bosses want to build a £6.2 million extension to a York primary school to solve the looming problem of school places in the city's South Bank.

Ruling councillors will be urged to support the building of a 210 place extension to the in-demand Scarcroft Primary on the nearby Millthorpe School site.

At a City of York Council executive meeting next week, councillors will be presented with several different options for building new schools to fill the growing need for primary schools in the area.

The Millthorpe extension has got the backing of education bosses, at the expense of competing plans to put a whole new school on with the Terrys car park site at Nun Ings, land behind The Grove and The Square off Tadcaster Road, or on the current sites of either Bishopthorpe Infant or Archbishop of York CE Junior schools.

Cllr Jenny Brooks, the executive member responsible for schools, said they had been exploring the viable options "for some time".

Population predictions show the area will need 21 new reception class spaces by 2017, and between 100 and 160 additional places by the 2022/23 school year with more growth expected beyond that.

Cllr Brooks added: "With no more space to permanently accommodate additional local pupils at Scarcroft and Knavesmire, this proposal has been discussed with local schools and, if approved, aims to provide enough spaces in a high quality learning environment."

A public meeting has been called by the Micklegate ward councillors on Tuesday, January 26 from 6.30-8pm in the Lower School Hall at Scarcroft Primary School to share the proposed plans, explain the background, and to answer questions. They say the feedback will be shared with other councillors as part of the decision-making process.

The Scarcroft extension plan would see 210 new places created - enough for a single form entry primary school - and it is being recommended over and above the alternatives in part because it has the support of the existing schools.

It would also be cheaper than building at Nun Ings or on the Tadcaster Road sites, and on both those plots the landowners are not willing to sell even if the council did decide it wanted to build there.

Officials also say that keeping the new school close by would be better for families in the area, and putting older primary school classes in the new building would help children with their transition to secondary school.

A "modular" build is being considered, the papers show, and the new building would go on land not currently classed as playing fields. It should be ready by September 2017.

At the moment Millthorpe, Scarcroft and Knavesmire schools are considering converting to academy status and forming a Multi Academy Trust (MAT). The council would need the MAT's permission to build on Millthorpe's site but with the schools' backing already in place education bosses say they are confident the MAT would agree.