A Kent school will soon accommodate over 100 additional students.

The Judd School in Tonbridge is currently four form entry with 1083 pupils, but has been given permission to expand to five form entry.

Documents submitted to the council earlier this year proposed the expansion alongside the development of a new dining hall, kitchen accommodation and science laboratories.

A new three-storey, standalone building will be constructed and existing kitchen facilities at the Brook Street site will be demolished.

Kent County Council has invested £2.5m into the development, which architect Bond Bryan hopes will be completed by September 2016.

The existing car parking provision is insufficient for proposed needs, therefore additional spaces will be created to address the shortfall.

Educational buildings on site date from 1896 to 2009 and are surrounded by houses on three sides.

All nearby residents were sent a letter of notification advising them of plans.

According to documents made available by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, no objections have been made.

The grammar school currently accepts admission of boys aged from 11 to 18 and employs 94 members of staff.

The planning proposal was triggered by an identified need for additional secondary school places within the area and was subsequently approved by council planners on Tuesday.

Headteacher, Robert Masters, said he is thrilled by the approval. He added: "It's fantastic news that the building can begin.

"An extra form will be added to each year, we have already been accommodating 30 extra pupils on a trial basis but the application approval means we can now accommodate them and other students in the additional forms.

"We are also building new playing fields the size of four rugby pitches along with two cricket pitches."