COUNCIL chiefs are poised to approve a £3 million expansion of Great Sankey High School to cope with the increase in housing in the area.

The executive board is recommended to support the investment at its Town Hall meeting on Monday in order to create additional secondary school places at the site, on Barrow Hall Lane.

The money would come from the Department for Education, with no need for council investment.

If the plans are approved, the school would expand by using assets on the nearby former Barrow Hall Primary School land.

It would see its intake increase to 375 pupils, equivalent to an extra 60 places per year group.

In her report, Cllr Jean Carter, executive board member for children’s services, said the funds would ‘create the additional secondary school places required to meet projected demand from housing developments’.

She added: “The project is the latest phase of a strategy implemented since 2014 to ensure sufficient school places in the west Warrington area to meet population growth in that part of the town.

“Although it is the case that the housing developments at Omega have not delivered the numbers of houses expected to be completed by this time, which also means that the additional capacity in the secondary sector is not required by September 2018, it is the case that additional places will be required within the foreseeable future.

“Officers are confident that investment of £3 million is reasonable to deliver the expansion required.”