TORIES have failed in a bid to get Basingstoke council to investigate building a school in the Beggarwood Lane area.

Members at the recent meeting of the full council threw out a proposal by Cllr Harry Robinson that officers should look into the possibility of an educational establishment in the Beggarwood Lane area and report back.

Cllr Robinson said Basingstoke council had set aside an area of land off Beggarwood Lane for a school for the 1,400 residents of the new housing estate - but Hampshire County Council had claimed a school was not feasible.

"I am saying that it is not too late for the thousands of people who live in the Beggarwood Lane area to have education allocated for them in Beggarwood Lane," said Cllr Robinson.

"They built those houses on the promise that land would be made available for education. Let us not be frightened of doing a U-turn.

"If St Mark's school is expanded, as is planned at present, it will mean that Beggarwood Lane kids will have to walk a long way to school down a lane with very little pavement."

Cllr Phil Heath said that before the Beggarwood estate was built, he and Cllr Dan Putty had pressed for a school there and Basingstoke council planners had set aside a piece of a land.

It was only this year that they were dismayed to find that the planners had not made the site big enough.

Cabinet member for economic prosperity, Cllr Paul Harvey, said he supported the council proposal that the site should be used for nursery and creche facilities.

Cabinet member for forward planning, Cllr Mrs Paula Baker, added: "The fact that we are able to provide on Beggarwood Lane early-years provision and a doctors' surgery for the community there is a matter for congratulation."