Plans to relocate adult education and Kingston’s archives from the North Kingston Centre ahead of the building of a new free school are at an “advanced” stage.

Councillor David Ryder-Mills, lead member for schools and continuing education, said Kingston Council would find somewhere for the services currently based at the Richmond Road site.

But it is unlikely they will all be based under one roof again, he added.

Coun Ryder-Mills said: “That work is quite advanced now. “There’s good work going on but we have to start consulting with the services before we can release any more information about where our preferred sites are.

“There’s lots of different services there, and they are not all going to be going to the same site. “But there’s going to be a good solution for all.”

Coun Mills also said it was unlikely the school would open in time for the September 2014 intake, as had originally been planned.

Funding is still being negotiated with the Department for Education.

Conservative councillor Andrea Craig, who represents Canbury ward, where the north Kingston Centre is based, said: “Our residents are extremely relieved that the free school bid has been accepted, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”

Heritage team leader and borough archivist Jill Lamb, from the Kingston Local History Room, said: “We understand adult education is going to be in this building until next summer, and we assume we’ll be there as well.”