WILDLIFE experts are to probe buildings at a West Dorset school for bats before an extension is built to save children being forced to cross a road to classrooms.

Governors at Cheselbourne First School have applied to build a new classroom, office, entrance and road at the junction of Streetway Lane.

The move comes after the one building was declared unsafe and children were having to cross the main road to use the village hall opposite for lessons.

Planners at Dorset County Council are set to back the scheme but have been urged by Dorset Wildlife Trust to have the site checked for bats.

Miles Butler, the council's director of environmental services, said: "Since the building was condemned last year the village hall opposite has been used for teaching purposes.

"This has caused many problems for the school in terms of safety and security of pupils crossing the road unnecessarily, communication between staff and access to resources for staff and pupils."

He added: "The proposed extension would therefore address this current problem for the school while enabling us to incorporate modern security measures on the site."

The school has expanded its numbers from 16 to 51 pupils over the past decade with a catchment area that includes Cheselbourne, Dewlish, Ansty and Melcombe Bingham.

The new plans are for a single storey classroom for the school's reception class and a new office, as staff currently use a corridor space for administrative purposes.

The empty classroom would be knocked down in favour of a playground and one parking space for the headteacher would be created near the new school entrance.

The application is due before Dorset County Council's planning committee on April 5.

Mr Butler said Dorset Wildlife Trust had strongly advised that the site is checked by a licensed bat expert to check for the creatures.

Cheselbourne Parish Council has not objected to the scheme but has raised fears about the safety of a parking space at the school.

Mr Butler has asked for a fence to be included in the scheme to satisfy concerns about the owner of nearby Campion Cottage.

But he dismissed worries by the owner of nearby Springdale Cottage about the new classroom blocking views of the Piddle Valley.

WILDLIFE experts are to probe buildings at a West Dorset school for bats before an extension is built to save children being forced to cross a road to classrooms.

Governors at Cheselbourne First School have applied to build a new classroom, office, entrance and road at the junction of Streetway Lane.

The move comes after the one building was declared unsafe and children were having to cross the main road to use the village hall opposite for lessons.

Planners at Dorset County Council are set to back the scheme but have been urged by Dorset Wildlife Trust to have the site checked for bats.

Miles Butler, the council's director of environmental services, said: "Since the building was condemned last year the village hall opposite has been used for teaching purposes.

"This has caused many problems for the school in terms of safety and security of pupils crossing the road unnecessarily, communication between staff and access to resources for staff and pupils."

He added: "The proposed extension would therefore address this current problem for the school while enabling us to incorporate modern security measures on the site."

The school has expanded its numbers from 16 to 51 pupils over the past decade with a catchment area that includes Cheselbourne, Dewlish, Ansty and Melcombe Bingham.

The new plans are for a single storey classroom for the school's reception class and a new office, as staff currently use a corridor space for administrative purposes.

The empty classroom would be knocked down in favour of a playground and one parking space for the headteacher would be created near the new school entrance.

The application is due before Dorset County Council's planning committee on April 5.

Mr Butler said Dorset Wildlife Trust had strongly advised that the site is checked by a licensed bat expert to check for the creatures.

Cheselbourne Parish Council has not objected to the scheme but has raised fears about the safety of a parking space at the school.

Mr Butler has asked for a fence to be included in the scheme to satisfy concerns about the owner of nearby Campion Cottage.

But he dismissed worries by the owner of nearby Springdale Cottage about the new classroom blocking views of the Piddle Valley.