A MULTI-MILLION-POUND expansion of a Southampton school has been given the go-ahead.

The second expansion of Springwell School in Thornhill was approved by Southampton City Council planning bosses and will include the construction of a single-storey and a two-storey extension to the primary school.

It means the school for children with moderate and severe learning difficulties could have up to 24 classrooms by 2021.

Southampton City Council says the £10m plans will help provide more special schools places for the city.

Proposals include a new hall and kitchen, as well as a multi-use games area (MUGA) and a new car park for the school.

However, the plans had faced severe opposition from residents who raised issues about the loss of part of the field and of natural light as well as extra noise from the outdoor play area.

Southampton City Council said: “The exceptional educational need and positive regenerative opportunities associated with the development and its ‘proposed dual use’ outweigh the dis-benefit of the loss of public open space”.