Parents are rejoicing after a new primary school in Shortlands was approved by Bromley Council.

At a meeting last night, Thursday November 7, the council gave the green light to demolish Kingswood House, in Mays Hill Road, to build the school.

The application, submitted by the Harris Foundation, will see a two-storey free school with 22 parking spaces built, catering for 420 pupils.

The plans cement the permanent premises for Harris Primary Academy Shortlands, which opened in September 2014 and currently operates out of temporary accommodation in Westmoreland Road.

With around 60 pupils, the school was recognised as playing a key role in helping ease the lack of school places in the area, which many claim would have left a number of children without a school place in Bromley.

Despite objections from residents in the area - including a 41 page document submitted by The Shortland's Residents Association in opposition - plans were given the go-ahead by the council's Plans Sub-Committee.

However, the impact of traffic and parking in the area is a major concern.

This was acknowledged by the chairman of Plans Sub-Committee, Cllr Richard Scoates, who said: "Clearly, parking and traffic generation are major concerns to local residents. However, these concerns can be kept to a minimum by the various planning conditions attached to the permission, along with the school and parents' continual cooperation with local residents.

"We recognise that this was an application with great public interest, with much merit to points raised by the applicant and by local residents."

The move comes as a relief for anxious parents - in part due to the temporary accommodation the school is housed in - which parents said mainly consisted of a large room.

Claire Sullivan, 37, whose five year old daughter Elsie attends Harris Shortlands, said: "We're really happy, we're over the moon it's been approved. It's a weight off our shoulders.

"Where they are now is not ideal, they've got one big classroom, they eat and play in the same room. They've got an outside area but it's not very big."

The mum of two from Portland Road added: "We had initially applied to six schools, and she didn't get in to any except Harris Shortlands. Before the application was approved there was uncertainty over the future of her education; there is a real shortage of school places in the borough.

"If they [the council] had refused the application there would have been uproar."

With the new site is hopefully up and running by September 2015, Fiona Kelly, executive principal of the Harris Federation, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Bromley councillors have voted to approve our new primary school in Shortlands.

"We are especially pleased that this result gives our existing parents and their children peace of mind and stability at such an important time in their lives."

Are you a parent or resident whos been affected by this application? Leave your comments below.