Ashby Castle Day Nursery has applied to build a new flat-roofed classroom in its rear garden.

Plans for a single storey building at the North Street-based nursery have been submitted to North West Leicestershire District Council.

The Nursery has been supported by a heritage report and a staff travel survey which suggests that the expansion might only need another three extra employees.

The Heritage Report says: "The proposed classroom is screened from all public view and therefore has no impact on the street scene or conservation area. The style will be in keeping with the extended nursery proposal.

"We therefore conclude the impact on the surrounding area will be neutral and the application should be supported."

The staff travel survey adds: "The nursery closed on March 25, 2020, as required by the Government lockdown.

"Until then it had been running at capacity for more than 25 years with circa 250 infants enrolled and 65 employees.

"The nursery reopened on June 1 with an initial greatly reduced enrolment.

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"Children numbers have increased steadily since then and as of w/c September 14 there are 210 children attending weekly, mostly on a part-time basis.

"The nursery is open 50 weeks of the year from 7.30am until 6.00pm Monday to Friday.

"Staffing requirements are directly related to the number of children in attendance.

"The week of the survey there were 65 staff employed at the nursery - 21 staff are full time and work more than 30 hours per week, 44 staff are part-time and working hours vary between 10-29 hours.

"The proposed development will result in a maximum of three additional staff driving to work. In conclusion the proposal will result in negligible increase in staff driving to work and there is existing capacity to