The chief executive of the trust running a Hindu secondary school says he is delighted it could have a new home after government approval.

Earlier this week it was announced the Education Funding Agency had given approval for the Avanti School Trust to build a new school on Whitchurch Playing Fields in Stanmore.

Avanti House School is currently moved to its temporary home in Common Road, Stanmore last year.

Trust chief executive Nitsh Gor said: "We are absolutely delighted that the feasibility study has been given the school the go-ahead. It is a great step forward for the project.

"It’s not just good news for the school trust and the parents and pupils, but the whole community of Harrow.

“It’s a really positive development for the school and it has been a long time coming. Once the school is built and there is a permanent base it will have been worth the wait.

“The location of the new school site will not only be perfect for our current students but for the whole community we will serve.”

The school is run with a Hindu ethos but is open to children from across the community and from any religious background.

Under the proposals the new school would have 1,260 pupils at full capacity.

The news of the government go-ahead was welcomed by Harrow East MP Bob Blackman, who raised the issue of the future of the playing fields in Parliament last month.

He said: “This is superb news and is a victory for education in Harrow, for residents in Harrow and for the future of Harrow.

“It has been a long journey to today’s announcement, but we can look forward to an exciting new development for schooling locally.”

Harrow Borough Council’s cabinet is due to discuss the plans and decide whether to grant permission for the new school to go ahead on Thursday.