Heathside School's plans to expand have been refused by councillors, on the same day hundreds of children missed out on their preferred choice of school.

All children in Surrey were offered a secondary school place but only 82.4 per cent were offered their first choice school.

Surrey County Council has made several references to a lack of school places coupled with an overwhelming demand. This year, 10,929 Surrey residents applied for places in September 2015, a 2.85 per cent rise from last year's 10,626.

Linda Kemeny, Surrey County Council cabinet member for schools and learning, said: "It is now the second year running that the proportion of Surrey applicants offered their first preference secondary school has fallen, reflecting growing demand for places as our county's population rises."

But as children throughout the borough were told if they had got into their school of choice, Heathside School, Weybridge, was denied a rise in the number of students from 1,352 to 1,475.

At a planning sub-committee meeting on Monday, March 2, councillors said they supported schools in the area expanding but did not believe the applicant and Surrey County Council spent enough time on the travel plan.

Councillor Ramon Gray, for Weybridge North, said: "I'm getting the impression that we are being asked to improve the application plan and a travel plan."

Councillor Peter Harman, representing St George's Hill, said: "Looking at it it seems wishy washy to me. It doesn't really say anything.

"What doesn't really surprise me is that Surrey County Council are very happy to say yes to that."

The school in Brooklands Lane sits in the greenbelt and the application received 144 letters of support and 72 letters of objections.

Heathside School's existing travel plan, the way the traffic would flow through the surrounding roads and the access way into the school, would be revised properly within six months of the additional student intake. Councillors and objectors were unhappy the review would not take place until after the intake began.

Councillor Richard Knight, for Weybridge South, referring to the large amount of traffic at the site and said: "There is going to be an accident."

Peter Bay, speaking on behalf of the objectors, said the majority of supporters did not live near the school, and said: "I urge the committee to refuse this application until there are significant improvements."

He said there was no more room for students and spoke of the traffic chaos at peak times, referring to accidents which often happen in the area.

Mr Bay said: "The status quo will continue until something dreadful happens."

Applicant William Wiley said: "This application is the first step of many in providing additional spaces and without the approval to proceed there is the likelihood that nothing further will be achieved in terms of improving highway safety."

Councillor Lewis Brown, representing Oatlands Park, said: "We need to have a serious conversation with Surrey County Council and the school about how we move forward. I'm not sure that it would be sound to reject it."

The committee voted seven to one to refuse planning permission.