Government Axes Secondary School in Mortlake Brewery Regeneration
A proposed secondary school will no longer be constructed as part of the massive £1.3 billion redevelopment of the former Stag Brewery site in Mortlake, South West London. The Department for Education (DfE) has definitively scrapped plans for Livingstone Academy West London, overriding strong objections from Richmond Council, which warned of severe pressure on already overstretched school places in the eastern part of the borough.
Decision Prioritizes Special Educational Needs Over Mainstream Places
Livingstone Academy is among twelve mainstream free school projects that the government has confirmed it will not proceed with, as it shifts focus toward creating more places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In December, the DfE indicated it was considering cancelling 28 out of 44 such schools in the pipeline, allowing trusts and councils to appeal. Now, twelve, including Livingstone Academy, have been officially axed, with thirteen more under review for cancellation, while nineteen projects continue in the pre-opening stage.
This move comes despite Richmond Council's formal appeal against the decision. Council leader Gareth Roberts and Councillor Julia Cambridge, both Liberal Democrats, argued in a February letter to DfE officials that the school would have addressed a persistent shortage of secondary school places. They emphasized that while supporting increased SEND provision, it should not come at the cost of adequate places for students without additional needs.
Immediate Shortfalls and Future Pressures Highlighted
The councillors pointed out that although primary school pupil numbers are declining, projected to affect secondary schools by 2031, a current shortfall exists. Since 2019, children in the east of the borough have been left unplaced on National Offer Day each March. They warned that the planned 1,075-home development on the brewery site would exacerbate demand, further straining local secondary schools like Christ's School and Lift Richmond Park, potentially requiring DfE assistance for expansions.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson explained the rationale, noting a decline in primary school pupils since 2019 alongside a rise in SEND students to at least 1.7 million, an increase of 400,000 since 2020. She stated, "Instead of adding a few thousand mainstream free school places where sufficient capacity already exists, we will deliver places that enable pupils with SEND to access the right support in a setting close to home." The government has committed at least £3 billion to create 50,000 more SEND places in mainstream schools across England by 2030, partly funded by cancelling these projects.
Regeneration Project Proceeds Without School
Planning inspector Glen Rollings approved the £1.3 billion regeneration plans last year after a decade-long battle, including a public inquiry in 2024. The approval covered two applications: one for 1,075 new homes, with only 65 affordable units, and another for a 1,200-place secondary school with a sixth form. While the school has been axed, the rest of the scheme moves forward, featuring new restaurants, shops, and offices on the 22-acre site. Objections from groups like the Mortlake Brewery Community Group, which questioned the need for a school, were noted during the process.
The DfE has not provided additional comment on the decision.
