A BID has been submitted to keep a controversial Free School in South Bucks.

The Department for Education has applied to South Bucks District Council for Khalsa Secondary Academy to use Pioneer House in Stoke Poges permanently.

New government powers were used earlier this year to temporarily install the Sikh school in the former office building on Hollybush Hill.

The move caused consternation among villagers, who argue South Bucks has no need for another school and that the academy should be built in Slough instead.

But a fresh bid has been made to make the arrangement permanent, with the DfE hopeful it can use further permitted development rights to achieve it.

Under these rules full planning permission is not required, with only transport issues, noise disturbance and contamination risks taken into account.