A £10.2m building programme to create five new schools has been announced by the council.

Fresh plans for five primary schools have been drawn up to accommodate surging demand for places.

A new primary school with three forms of entry would be built from scratch on vacant land between Aberdeen Road and Spices Yard in South Croydon.

Four existing buildings would also be converted to create schools West Croydon, Thornton Heath, Waddon and Croydon town centre.

The buildings converted would be Westway House in St James's Road, 843 London Road, Victoria House in Southbridge Place, and the empty Grade-II listed Segas House in Katherine Street.

The proposals, unveiled by Croydon Council on Monday, come on top of £162m planned investment over the next three years.

Rising demand for places means up to 35 new primary classes and 21 new secondary classes will be needed across Croydon by 2018.

Projects already unveiled include a new primary school in Haling Road, South Croydon and a secondary at the Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood.

Both, as well as the new school at Westway House, will be academies.

Some residents have strongly objected to the Arena school, raising concerns about traffic congestion, the movement of pupils and effects on the local environment.

But Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member for children, families and learning, said educational concerns were the council's priority when consulting with locals on proposed new schools.

He said: "These new schools and extra places are going to be needed over the next few years and the council has made it an absolute priority to ensure that we meet the growing demand.

"We will of course be careful to consult fully with local people and as we have demonstrated recently we will listen to concerns and make our plans accordingly - however it has to be stressed that educational outcomes remain our prime concern."

In March, Croydon Council secured a record £63m Government grant to help tackle its school places shortage.

Work to expand four primaries - West Thornton Primary Academy and St James the Great in Thornton Heath, Ark Oval in Addiscombe and Kingsley Primary in Waddon - is set to begin next year.