THE HEADMASTER of a private school has criticised planners for frustrating its development plans.

Building control watchdogs have told Tockington Manor School - a grade two listed building in the Green Belt - that its temporary classrooms must come down when planning permission runs out in two years time

The school was seeking an extension to 2011 to enable it to arrange funding for permanent replacements and pursue other projects important to the long term further the popular fee-paying prep school.

But South Gloucestershire councillors ruled that strict Green Belt planning restrictions had already been waived once and the school had not demonstrated special reasons why they should be set aside for a second time.

Ironically, in the same meeting, the Development Control (West) Committee backed plans for a new school hall at nearby state-run Olveston Primary School where Green Belt planning rules also apply.

Tockington Manor head teacher Richard Tovey said later: "I am very disappointed and find it hard to understand why they have not supported us. If something cannot be done to change this decision then somehow we are going to have to find three new classrooms by 2006 and that is not going to be easy.

"A small school like this has to plan ahead. all they have done is put up a unnecessary hurdle which will put other projects in jeopardy."

He said the committee should have given more weight to the fact that the school was maintaining a cherished building of importance to the area.

But he declined to comment on claims that it was a case where there was "one rule for the council and another for everyone else".

"A fly on the wall might have something to say about that but I shall leave such conclusions to my chairman of governors, if wants to draw them," said Mr Tovey.

The school's planning consultant, Gavin Boby, told the meeting that providing permanent classrooms took time and money

"I notice with some irony that the same special circumstances advanced in respect of Olveston apply equally to our application," he said.

Severn ward councillor Matthew Riddle supported the school as did Olveston Parish Council planning committee chairman Tony Williams who warned of the need to be even handed and consistent when dealing with schools in the private and public sectors.

Cllr Pat Hockey also cautioned against double standards, acknowledging that permission for temporary classrooms was "repeatedly" granted for council schools.

But Cllr Clare Fardell (Thornbury North) said there was no comparison between the situations at Tockington Manor and Olveston schools.

"These buildings (at Tockington) do damage the Green Belt and they certainly do not improve the setting of the listed building," she said. "We made the decision two years ago they should be temporary."

Cllr Peter Tyzack (Pilning and Severn Beach) said: "I would like to see a permanent structure being proposed. They have another two years to sort out the drawings and funding."

Senior Planning Officer Tony Doyle said that special circumstances advanced by the school were "vague" compared with Olveston's case which included comment from Ofsted inspectors.

"The same level of detail has not been submitted in respect of this application," he said.

It emerged during the meeting that permission for temporary classrooms at Olveston Primary School actually ran out almost a year ago and that they were now unauthorised buildings.

Cllr Tyzack said it was the council's own responsibility and the planning enforcement department should be notified.

"We must treat ourselves in the same way that we treat anyone else," he said.

* Olveston school's plans for a new school hall - to replace an outdated Victorian building - were welcomed.

Cllr Riddle said: "This is one of the largest schools in South Gloucestershire without a proper hall. It will put the kitchen and the hall under one roof which is currently not the case."

It would also provide a useful community facility for Olveston village itself, he said.

Cllr Williams said that when the money for the new hall was eventually found, it would replace temporary classrooms which had been "for at least 20 years".