A special needs school in Mitcham is set for expansion after planning approval was granted last week.

At a meeting in July, Merton Council gave its approval for Cricket Green School to expand from 199 places to 260 through construction on a new two storey block which would replace the existing temporary classrooms.

This approval didn't include planning permission however.

But that final hurdle has finally been cleared and now work is expected to be completed by September 2019.

At that same meeting two months ago, Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah talked about how the development would benefit the community.

“It is one of our flagship schools, it is outstanding and provides for our children with additional and complex needs,” she said.

She also added that the expansion would mean more children in the borough could receive "high quality education closer to home."

As part of the development, the school will also be looking to create a less "depressing" environment through a new paint job.

"At the moment, the most dominant colour on site is blue," the application read.

"Although blue is the most universally preferred colour in terms of conveying the message of trustworthiness and reliability and for expressing the authority and officialdom of organisations it is also associated with the emotional feeling of being ‘blue’ and used to express sadness and depression."

Instead, the school will now be displaying a lime green look which it hopes will give a more "modern, optimistic and energetic" feel.