PLACES at a nursery school in Southampton are to be boosted by more than 50 per cent, the Daily Echo can reveal.

The radical expansion plans at Hardmooor Early Years Centre, which serves Swaythling and Bassett children, would see the number of places available rise from 60 to 96 in January.

The increased intake will cost an extra £60,692 per year and will be paid for from central government funds if the scheme is approved by members of the city council's ruling Liberal Democrat cabinet on Monday.

At the moment, there are not enough private sector nursery places in the area to meet the demand for facilities for pre-school children, according to a report due to be heard by education chiefs.

There are 444 children in Swaythling and Bassett who qualify for nursery education places, but the report says that there are only 190 places available, both in the state and public sector.

No capital costs would be incurred by the authority, which would accommodate the children in existing nursery buildings.

Parents were also found to be in favour of the plans, which were aired at a public consultation held in October this year.