Plans to increase the capacity of a school in Burnham-on-Crouch so that it can accommodate more students have been revealed.

Essex County Council hopes to build a new standalone teaching block at Ormiston Rivers Academy, on Southminster Road, following outcry earlier this year when children were allocated secondary school places outside the district - with some offered places in schools as far away as Brightlingsea and Rochford.

At the time, Ormiston Rivers said it hoped to expand and "increase the number of students per year from 180 to 210".

The county council is now in talks to carry out this expansion, which would involve demolishing the single-storey building to the east of the site and building a new single-storey teaching block.

The block would consist of five classrooms, a group room, a multi-use games area and toilets.

There would be new paths to link the building with the main school, alongside 10 parking spaces and a cycle rack for 50 bicycles.

The county council has requested pre-application advice from Maldon District Council regarding the plans, ahead of submitting an application for planning permission to carry out the works.

In a statement submitted with the request, planning consultancy Lanpro said it hopes to receive the advice as soon as possible "given the need for the accommodation to be constructed to accommodate pupils at the start of the 2022/23 academic year".

Lanpro continued: "The site provides an opportunity to accommodate the demonstrable need for additional secondary school places in Burnham-on-Crouch, and this part of the district more generally.

"It therefore will deliver real benefits to the local community."

It also said the land on which the block would be built "generally serves no purpose".

If the county council receives positive pre-application advice regarding the plans, it intends to progress with the application for planning permission.

Maldon District Council will make the final decision.