New site secured for primary school places

7.55.21pm GMT Sat 27th Feb 2010

• RICHMOND Council has negotiated the purchase of part of the former St John's hospital site, in Strafford Road, Twickenham, for further primary school provision, subject to approval from Cabinet on Monday 22 February.

The purchase from the current owners, the South West London Mental Health Trust (MHT), will be conditional upon planning permission being obtained for the site. It is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted later this year.

Cllr Malcolm Eady, Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Culture on Richmond Council said: "There is a high demand for primary school places in the East Twickenham and St Margarets area which has caused concern among parents for a number of years. I am very pleased that we will be able to obtain this site for school place provision. The purchase is subject to Cabinet approval on Monday, at which point we will be able to begin work on specific plans. If planning approval is obtained we will press hard for the new places to be available as soon as possible."

The plans are part of the Council's borough-wide school expansion programme.

The cabinet paper says: ' . . The part to be purchased is 'Site A' [the northern part] . . [0.37 ha] [which] has a number of existing buildings located on it, comprising mainly . . redundant . . hospital buildings and the original Grade 2 listed Amyand House . . Detailed inspection . . indicates the potential to develop a number of differing configurations on the site for primary / infant or junior school provision . . Assuming approval for purchase and satisfactory investigations of the site and title, the programme for development of the site would be for planning permission to be sought and obtained by the end of 2010, construction during 2011, with opening of a new school in September 2012 . . '

Related Links:

• Papers for Cabinet meeting Feb 22

• Richmond Council unveils plans to buy St John's Hospital site for new primary school [RTT 18th February]

• Controversial Richmond school expansion plan is 'exciting opportunity', says head [RTT 7th February]

• St Mary's and St Peter's CE Primary School expansion plans withdrawn after objections from the Football Association and Sport England [RTT 18th Jan]