The bilingual school development at the former Hove Park gardeners depot looks set to go ahead.

Planning officers are recommending councillors’ approval at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday, though goodness knows how 630 children will be shoe-horned into this tiny site without the addition of another storey to the building.

Reading through the council documents it seems that some of the misgivings expressed by various official and statutory bodies make way for the “wider benefit”.

Fair dos. There’s a 2-1 majority in favour of the school being sited at Hove Park and planning officials have been commendably even-handed in recording opinions for what is acknowledged will be a large catchment area.

It's good to know that what happens in the city resonates far and wide, but it’ll be a heck of a school run for those supporters with addresses in Hever, Kent, 40 miles; Epsom, Surrey, 45 miles; Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, 63 miles; Tadworth, Surrey, 40 miles; Wells, Somerset, 130 miles; and New Zealand (x2), 11,500 miles.

A heads-up for all those who’ve written in. Do check the agenda on the council website to ensure you are on the correct list. I’m down as a supporter, despite enumerating eight reasons why I believe the proposed school would be detrimental to Hove Park and its environs. Whoever sorted the correspondence into the “for” and “against” piles, should have gone to Specsavers.

G Walsh, Orchard Gardens, Hove