A brand new primary school could be built in Hackbridge, according to plans being drawn up by the council.

A site on land North of the BedZed development in London Road has been identified as being potentially suitable for a new primary school to ease the current pressure on school places.

The site north of the BedZed development where the new school could be built

A Sutton Council spokesman said the council is investigating a number of sites but refused to confirm whether the Hackbridge site is one of them.

That is despite ward councillors and neighbours getting a briefing on the project from council executive head of planning and commissioning Sharman Lawson at a recent St Helier, The Wrythe and Wandle Valley local committee meeting.

The project has the backing of Hackbridge Councillor Paddy Kane who said it would provide the growing population of the area with schooling as well as replacing the Spencer Nursery School in Spencer Road, which he compared to a "shack".

It is understood the council is exploring the possibility of building a school and nursery on the site to cope with a growing need in school places, which is acute in Hackbridge because of a population increase from new housing developments like BedZed.

The council plans to create an extra 3,800 primary school places across the borough by 2015.

Coun Kane said: "I would absolutely back a new primary school and nursery in the area. All these nice houses are built in the area so I will never accept that, while children in other parts of the borough can quite rightly enjoy 21st century buildings for school purposes, kids in Hackbridge still have to make do with a 70-year-old pre-fab shack.

"If this goes ahead the only loser would be the Spencer Nursery but that is a building that was put up during the war and was designed to be torn down afterwards.

"It really should have been replaced long ago."

Sutton is to get Government funding of just over £42m to use on finding places for an estimated 3,000 pupils who may not have a school by 2016.

A council spokesman said: "Sutton Council is currently looking at a number of potential sites throughout the borough for a new primary school. 

"This process is still underway and no site has yet been confirmed as suitable. 

"As soon as initial enquiries are complete and a suitable site is identified, there will be consultation with local residents and they will be kept informed of any developments."

 

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