Local authorities must develop more than 11,000 new classrooms over the next nine years to meet Britain's growing primary school population, according to Scape Group.

Research by the company has shown 336,000 extra pupils will require additional classrooms and school buildings, the equivalent of one new primary school every two days.

Scape said the construction industry and public sector "must do more" to address the problem.

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Up to 1,600 new buildings and thousands of school extensions are required by 2019.

The Group is now calling for both the public sector and construction industry to develop new ideas and technologies to deliver the extra capacity.

Simon Reid, Head of Scape Design, said: "It's clear from our research that both the public and private sectors have a huge task on their hands. Some constituencies will see an increase in pupil numbers of up to a third, and others will need to create hundreds of new classrooms in just a few years' time.

"As the extra pupils at primary level move towards secondary school, there will be increasing pressure on local authorities to deliver extra secondary school buildings, which are much larger and require extra facilities."

(LM/CD)