PLANNING chiefs have given a big tick to plans to create one of the country s largest primary schools. Haringey Council s application to expand Coleridge primary school in Crouch End was approved on Monday. The former TUC building on Crouch End Hill will

PLANNING chiefs have given a big tick to plans to create one of the country's largest primary schools.

Haringey Council's application to expand Coleridge primary school in Crouch End was approved on Monday.

The former TUC building on Crouch End Hill will now be converted to include two new reception classes, bringing the total number of students at the school to 900.

More than 20 residents attended the meeting to object to the plans, which they said were railroaded through.

Andrew Mulroy from the architects firm Nicholas Hare attempted to address residents' and parents' concerns about the lack of playground space outside the TUC building, which he said was "a little above minimum recommendations".

But Robert Cormican from the Future of Coleridge group said: "This is an absolute mistake. I think it's ludicrous to have a school this big. Any parents with children at primary schools will tell you smaller is better. You want to know what's going on but it will be hard to control the kids in such a big school."

Residents also raised concerns about increased traffic in the area and the potential danger to children crossing the road between the two sites.