A THRIVING pre-school group is hoping to get a home of its own to allow it to expand its activities.

Welland Pre-school group has applied to Malvern Hills District Council to build a single-storey building on part of the carpark next to Welland Primary School.

The group schools about 35 youngsters in a room in Welland Primary School, Marlbank Road, Welland. It runs morning sessions for children from two years and nine months old to five years old.

However, over the past few years it has been struggling to cope with increasing numbers.

The group now wants to move into its own building, allowing it to take on more youngsters, run afternoon sessions and work with the school to provide breakfast and after-school clubs.

Fund-raising for the ambitious £180,000 project kicked off about six months ago through various events and £10,000 has already been collected, with the group also hoping to win various grants.

The council has received five letters of objection to the location of the building. Some people say it would mean felling two mature trees.

The scheme is now set to come before the council's planners at a meeting at 7pm on Wednesday.

Sarah Husband, chairman of the pre-school's committee, said if approval was granted, they hoped to get the building started within the next year.

"We're very excited about it but there's an amount of trepidation because it hinges on whether we get planning permission."

"We want to stay close to the school so we can keep our links with them and remain in the heart of the village.

"We've got an awful lot of support from the parents and the parish council who are wanting us to succeed," Ms Husband said.