CHRISTCHURCH MP Chris Chope said he is "in despair" over the final approval for a much-needed new primary school in the borough.

And he has blamed the need for the new facility on "unrestricted immigration".

It was announced earlier this week that the Secretary of State will not call in the application for the new Christchurch school.

The proposals for the £7million school in Marsh Lane were given the go-ahead by Dorset County Council back in February.

The decision was referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, as the development will be on green belt land.

Confirming the decision, DCLG's senior planning manager, Mike Hale, said the Secretary was "content that the application should be determined by Dorset County Council."

But Tory MP Mr Chope, who supported the objectors, has hit out at the decision, saying he is "in despair at the Government's refusal to protect the Green Belt."

He said: "The announcement that the planning application is not to be referred to an independent public inquiry is a kick in the teeth to all those who believe that the Green Belt is sacrosanct.

"Never before has the pressure on housing, schools and transport infrastructure been so great because of the steeply rising increase in population caused by unrestricted immigration.

"That is why protecting the Green Belt should be paramount.

"All those who argued against the use of Green Belt land for additional primary school places believed that those places could be provided on existing brownfield sites."

He added: "This is an invitation to developers to undermine the integrity of the Green Belt which has, hitherto, been at the heart of Conservative Party policy on planning and the environment."

The proposal for the much-needed primary school in the west of the borough attracted a wealth of support from parents unable to get their children into a nearby school.

But the plans were also opposed by people unhappy about the development on green belt land.

Dozens of families missed out on school places in Christchurch this year, with Christchurch Infants School so over-subscribed that 33 catchment children did not get in.

The new school will provide 14 classrooms, a large hall, with a learning resources area, a studio and practical areas. Outside, there will be games court and play areas. and an area for conservation.

Work by Morgan Sindall will start this summer with the new school ready by in September 2017.