Traffic issues and child safety concerns could see planners putting a cross against Garras Primary School’s bid for a new classroom.

The school near Mawgan hopes to build extra space in the form of a timber-clad, slated roof building for reception and year one pupils, at the back of the Owlets pre-school that shares the site.

Its planning application to Cornwall Council is due to be decided on Monday.

The primary school has thrived in recent years, with numbers rising from nine pupils a few years ago to 63 pupils now on the register.

In documents accompanying the application, the school’s architects state: "There is no room within the school to expand so a new building will be required to accommodate the increase in pupils."

The proposal has prompted concerns from some neighbours, however, with Robin and Linda Dandy writing on the council’s website: "Over 17 years we have witnessed a significant increase in traffic problems associated with the school due to its growth.

"We object to further expansion of the school as there is no need for this to cater for Mawgan village children. Many pupils live elsewhere and are brought to the school in vehicles."

The couple, who live opposite the school, said there was "inadequate parking" on the school site and claimed that as a result not only parents but also staff were parking on the road, sometimes all day.

"It seems to us that to grant planning permission for an expansion when even more vehicles will use the highway as a car park is clearly wrong," they added.

Mr and Mrs Dandy claimed cars parked illegally on yellow hatchings up as far as the roundabout, causing "considerable further obstruction to traffic" and "severely limiting access" to properties, including their own.

Also commenting on the website is a former primary headteacher, Mrs C Millward, who said she pleased that the school "continues to thrive" but was similarly concerned about the parking and turning of cars.

She wrote: “Dangerously, young children are put in/gathered from cars on the road side. There are daily incidents of drivers executing three point turns on what is incrementally becoming a 'faster road' with many heavy, often heavily laden vehicles transiting."

She added that sometimes these manoeuvres involved a car mounting the pavement and claimed she had seen "two very near misses" – one involving a small child running behind a car and other involving herself.

When asked to comment on the classroom application Mawgan Parish Council gave its support but noted: "Whatever happens at the school, the traffic/parking situation needs looking at, particularly with regard to a 20mph limit outside the school.

"Also, the roundabout on the B3293 gets blocked now with parked cars at school arrival and departure times and is likely to get intolerable with the predicted increase in student numbers."

School governor and former chairman Julian Rand said the school was "well aware" of concerns and regularly urged parents to use the large car park at the nearby recreation ground.

"We want to keep them off the road and don't want to cause any problems for neighbours," he added.

Mr Rand said the school was in talks about possibly using an area of nearby private land for staff parking.

Explaining the need for the classroom he added: "We have got good teachers, a good curriculum and a good governance structure; if we have got that in place we want our children to be in a really nice environment, and that means the right amount of space."