A school extension which residents fear could lead to traffic chaos has been recommended for approval.

Plans to expand Queensbury Upper School to accommodate an extra 600 pupils in September under the schools reorganisation will lead to gridlock in Queensbury town centre, claim residents.

But at a meeting of Bradford Area Planning Panel yesterday, councillors recommended that the plans be passed on to the Council's Executive for their approval.

The plans include building on the school's playing fields and will involve the relocation of a football pitch and tennis courts.

If the scheme is passed by the Executive, it will then be sent to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott who must approve all schemes to build on sports fields.

Residents fear the extra traffic it will bring down Deanstones Lane, the school's main access road, will cause chaos.

Deanstones Lane resident Raymond Hartley said: "It's ridiculous. The transport network around here is choc-a-block as it is. Deanstones Lane is a rat run at peak times because don't want to drive through Queensbury. My house shakes when lorries drive past and when this goes ahead it will get worse.

"Deanstones Lane is too narrow and they will never be able to get double deck buses down there.

"There are bound to be more accidents."

Queensbury Councillor Andrew Smith said he would be writing to Mr Prescott to ask for the scheme to be given the green light only if a new access road was built to the school, alleviating the pressure on Deanstones Lane and Queensbury centre.

He added: "We have a major problem in Queensbury and this will make it worse. We need a new access road coming into the school from Brighouse Road to alleviate the pressures on Queensbury. It's about time we had a by-pass."

School headteacher Richard Moore said he was delighted to hear the expansion plans had been approved.

"I think it's excellent news and a sign that that things are moving in the right direction,'' he said.

"It will mean the provision of first class facilities and education for the children of Queensbury.

"We can now look forward to having a very successful school for 11 to 18-year-olds."

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