A school planned for a newly-built housing estate could become the first in Sussex to be run by parents.

Earlier this year West Sussex County Council agreed to build a £3.5 million primary school at Bolnore Village, on the outskirts of Haywards Heath.

New legislation means groups of people, businesses, voluntary groups, charities and other academic institutions can compete to run education centres.

Parents at Bolnore Village have now announced their intention to bid to make the 210-place facility a parent led foundation, giving them greater influence over the way the school is run.

They have already attended a seminar to find out how they can bid and expect to put in a proposal before the deadline on February 18.

Group chairwoman Julia Thring said: "We think the best people to respond are the parents, who will most directly benefit from and contribute to the success of the new school because they will place their children in its care."

A site at Central Square in Bolnore Village, close to ancient woodland, was earmarked by developers Crest Nicholson when they began the development.

But parents living on the estate campaigned for several years before the promised school became the subject of firm discussions.

Parents at Bolnore Village are currently expected to transport primary school aged children across the town to Heyworth Primary School, in New England Road.

Earlier this year, they claimed this created traffic congestion and could not be sustained as the number of children of primary school age would increase on the estate.

West Sussex County Council, which will fund the school, carried out consultation work and studies in the town to assess demand for primary school places and found favour with the parents.

A spokesman said building a school in Bolnore Village emerged as a "clear preference". He said: "We need to act now because monitoring suggests the number of primary places in Haywards Heath, Lindfield and Cuckfield will fall short of what would be needed in future. There has been significant homebuilding in the area and more is due."

There were also fears that Heyworth School could be moved to Bolnore Village, which parents campaigned against.

West Sussex County Council has promised that Heyworth School is safe under the current proposals.

The council is expected to put the project out to tender once all bids are received and assessed in the New Year.

It is hoped that the first classes will be held in 2009 in temporary accommodation and will move to the new buildings when they are completed in 2010.

For more information about the parent campaign to run their own school visit www.bolnore.org.uk For more information about education in your area visit www.theargus.co.uk/localinfo Are you a parent who would be interested in running your child's school? Tell us below.