A RURAL school is set to build an extra car park to alleviate its parking headaches.

At Trewidland Primary School, which sits next to a narrow country lane, there are currently only eight parking spaces for parents and staff. For many years parents have used an unofficial one way system for dropping and collecting their children.

This has worked well for those familiar with the system - but can cause problems when other visitors to the school arrive from a different direction, said headteacher Vyvyan Lovell.

Now the school has asked for planning permission to create an extra 10 parking spaces by surfacing part of the school field.

A porous paving system would be used, allowing grass to grow through a mesh, in order to have the least impact on the environment.

‘When we ask our parents what we could do to improve the school, the vast majority identify parking as an area for improvement,’ said Mr Lovell.

‘We have a Preschool and a Parent Toddler group that also operate on our school site and it is very important for those parents with very young children, both in terms of safety and convenience, to be able to park close to the school.

‘There are also other times during the school year such as sports days, school productions and parent meetings, when parking is limited. The additional parking will be a major benefit both now and into the future for both parents and the wider community.’

The project would see the top of the school field surfaced, and a new security gate and fencing installed.