Government plans to build a 420-place primary school in the heart of Kingston have been submitted in the face of the borough's desperate need for school places.

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) and Gems Learning Trust have jointly issued the much-anticipated planning application to demolish Swan House, in High Street, and build an academy school as well as 11 flats. The site was purchased by the EFA in April last year, drawing criticism from supporters of building a school in Tolworth, which the Government department first proposed two years earlier.

According to Kingston Council's own schools strategy, a shortfall of 487 reception class school places is anticipated for the start of next year.

Surbiton councillor Malcolm Self said he remains 'dubious' about whether it is the best site but accepted the need to build more schools across the borough. He will sit on the committee who will decide whether to accept the application.

Public consultations were held in November during which residents could view the plans, which will the total demolition of Swan House to replace it with a single building reaching five floors. Statistics released in March last year found Kingston schools to be the most oversubscribed in London, with about half running at over capacity.

Planning documents cite the borough's 'rising birth rate' and 'imminent developments' such as the Cambridge Road Estate as reasons for building more schools. Concerns around building a school in Kingston have largely centred on pollutions levels in the borough. The council opened a consultation into Kingston pollution levels in 2015 ahead of the opening of new schools.

In April last year, Kingston Council was allocated just more than £6.5m in Government funding to help school building projects. A free school provider has applied to the Department for Education for permission to build a new school in Surbiton, with a planning application expected to be submitted in the near future.

The Gems Learning Trust did not respond to a request for comment.