A new school is set to be built on land in Hounslow described as a drug-using hot spot, where it is claimed the emergency services have been called 400 times.

The secondary school and college in Gresham Road, close to Osterley Tube station, will have space for 224 students with special educational needs (SEN), aged 11-25.

The two-storey building, to be built on public land beside Hounslow Conservative Club, was approved by councillors on Thursday (May 12) evening.

Hounslow Council said it was needed to meet the growing demand for school places, and many of the facilities, including a gym, running track and recording studio, will be available for use by members of the public.

The public open land in Gresham Road, Osterley, as it looks now

Aun Qurashi, the council's senior project manager for the borough's school expansion programme, told members of the planning committee the land was little used for recreation but had become a hot spot for crime and antisocial behaviour.

"The playground equipment has sadly become a hangout for miscreants and drug users, and the emergency services have been called out over 400 times," he said, adding that the figure came from a steward at the Conservative club and that he did not know over what period those calls had been made.

He said the school and its facilities would be secured, and claimed the public response to the plans had been "overwhelmingly positive".

'One emergency call was over a child flying a kite'

One neighbour who opposed the plans said it was no surprise the land was underused at present as it was poorly maintained and signposted, meaning many people were oblivious to its existence.

She also questioned the figure of 400 emergency call-outs, saying one had been made by an overzealous security guard who told her son he was trespassing when he flew a kite in the grounds.

Another resident, who also objected to the proposals, said many of the call-outs were related to incidents at the neighbouring Conservative club. He raised concerns about the impact of the new school on traffic in the area.

The new school will accommodate secondary-aged SEN students from the existing Oaklands School building in Woodlands Road, Isleworth , meaning that site can cater exclusively for primary-aged SEN pupils.

When it opens, the new school and college will be the first in Hounslow to cater for SEN pupils aged over 16, who currently have to travel outside the borough to attend sixth form or college.

The school, which will have 224 staff, is scheduled to open in September 2018 but will not reach full capacity until 2023.

Work recently began on a new building at Kingsley Academy in Hounslow which will enable it to nearly double its capacity.

There are also plans to expand Hounslow Town Primary School and create 284 new homes.