More schools are needed to prevent classrooms being swamped by the flood of families moving to Colchester.

Hundreds of extra secondary school places will have to be found as the town's population explodes over the next five years.

Thousands of new homes are planned, putting increased pressure on existing classroom space.

Official figures reveal more than 600 new secondary schools places will be needed in Colchester by 2009.

A report says Alderman Blaxill, the Gilberd, St Helena and Thomas, Lord Audley will each need to provide between 130 and 300 extra places.

The county council is currently looking for sites for two new schools in the area.

A county council spokesman said: "There are procedures in place to cope with the expanding level of pupils within the county. This would include expanding existing schools in the areas where there are increases, and we are also working very closely with developers to assess the impact of developments on existing schools."

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Published Wednesday, February 2, 2005

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