A new free secondary school in Harpenden could be open by 2017 to cater for a projected shortfall in school places in the town.

The Harpenden Secondary School Trust (HSET) has submitted a bid to the government to establish a new secondary school on land north of Lower Luton Road in Batford after it was revealed up to 80 children in Harpenden may be allocated places in St Albans schools this year.

Hertfordshire County Council’s figures forecast a shortfall of secondary places in the town’s schools will rise from at least 120 in 2017 to 248 places in 2019.

The county council first indicated its interest in the 21 hectare site at Lower Luton Road to its owners in 2011 - and are hoping to secure the land without the need for a compulsory purchase order.

If built, the school will be the first new secondary school for Harpenden for more than 50 years.

Chris Hayward, cabinet member for enterprise, education and skills, said: "We continue to work with HSET to secure as soon as possible an additional secondary school to meet the future needs of children living in Harpenden and surrounding areas.

"We have a duty to ensure that every child in the county who wants one has access to a school place and with the growth in population in the county there is a need for more school places."

HSST, led by the three existing secondary schools in the town, St George’s, Roundwood Park and Sir John Lawes together with the University of Herts and Rothamsted Research, is working to create a fourth 11 to 18 school in the town.

After the preferred site in Lower Luton Road was initially announced, a pressure group was set up due to concerns ver the location.

Right School Right Place (RSRP) carried out its own survey of need in Wheathampstead and Harpenden East, the two areas most affected by the county council’s proposals for a school in Batford.

The pressure group are concerned about traffic on the Lower Luton Road, especially at the junction with Station Road, and at the roundabout in Wheathampstead where it meets Lamer Lane and Codicote Road near St Albans High School for Girls.

Members said traffic tails back from this roundabout to Cherry Tree Lane every morning with the volume of traffic at that junction, a distance of one mile.

Hillary Taylor from RSRP said: "Overall we are disappointed, but not surprised, but not surprised, that HCC's processes  have led it back to where it first started and in the process exposed serious underestimation of costs in its original work. 

"Initial reaction from members highlight concerns that in order to deliver a solution HCC will cut costs ellsewhere, particularly in the provision of safe access for pupils to the school wherever it may end up."

The county council asked independent town planning consultants Vincent and Gorbing to submit their findings on a preferred site of the school, which will be reported to the council’s enterprise, education and skills panel on Friday.

Councillor Hayward urged parents and carers to continue to support HSET’s efforts to establish a new school.

He added: "It will give parents more choice and help build upon the excellent reputation that all Hertfordshire’s schools have."

Following the panel the council will pass their work to the Education Funding Agency (EFA), which will decide on the route it wishes to follow.

For more information, visit: http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/edlearn/aboutstatesch/newschools/