A secondary school has been given the green light to build a new arts centre and sixth-form block.

Hindu faith school Avanti House, in Wemborough Road, Stanmore, was granted planning permission by Harrow Council to start work on the new building.

The centre, which will be around two-and-a-half storeys tall, will include a hall, theatre, recording studio, dining area and three classrooms and can accommodate up to 400 people.

Despite the introduction of the new building, situated next to the school’s sports block, there are no plans to increase the number of pupils.

The proposals were unanimously supported by the council’s planning committee, who welcomed the chance to provide more cultural and learning space.

Cllr Simon Brown urged the council to ensure that the new facilities are utilised by the community in the same way that the school’s sports pitches are.

This is supported by a Section 106 agreement accompanying the application, which asks the developer to take into account future community use.

Cllr Stephen Greek, while welcoming the plans, also pointed out that the school has fulfilled its potential in terms of what could be built there.

He said: “I think this has been sensitively designed and it will not have a substantial impact on what is there at the moment.

“But we are now reaching the limit of what we can accept at this site.”

He added that it would have been difficult for him to support the scheme had the proposals for an additional pavilion been included.