Concerns about traffic were not enough to stop the expansion of a primary school.

The decision to expand Grimsdyke Primary School, in Sylvia Avenue, Pinner, was sent back to Harrow Borough Council's cabinet for further debate last week because of concerns about traffic in the area.

However, proposals were deemed acceptable and the school is now set to expand from 420 to 630 pupils.

Hatch End councillor Susan Hall presented the case against expansion to the cabinet after speaking to neighbours, who said that they felt the expansion would cause many traffic problems.

She said: “The case we made with neighbours could not have been more compelling. Every single car travelling to and from Grimsdyke School has to go down one narrow residential road – and the whole area already gridlocks for half an hour at dropping-off and collection times.

“I dread to think what adding 100 to 150 cars to the mix will do, and heaven forbid an emergency vehicle needs to get through there at those times.

“It’s unfortunate that a school as popular and as good as Grimsdyke is caught up in all this, and the standard of education pupils will receive at the school is not in doubt.

“But it’s quite simply wrong for the council to press ahead with an expansion which will cause chaos for households and could even put lives at risk.”

Councillor Simon Brown, who is responsible for education, said: “We need to expand Grimsdyke School so that children in Hatch End have a local school to go to.

“After consulting and meeting with residents about any potential traffic problems, we have taken the decision to expand the school, otherwise local children will have to go to other schools further away which will only add to the traffic congestion.

“In any case, we believe it is important that residents have a local school for their children to attend.

“We will continue to work with residents, parents, teachers and school governors to ensure that we introduce a range of measures, from having dedicated drop off zones to encouraging children to walk to school, to keep and traffic and parking problems to a minimum.”