Greenwich Council plans to buy college for primary place boost
7:10am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Where I Live By Mark Chandler
Cllr Chris Roberts
GREENWICH Council’s cabinet may have voted to shut down Blackheath Bluecoat last month, but their leader is all set to buy a new school.
Councillor Chris Roberts will decide this week whether the council should buy the building currently used by Holborn College in Woolwich Road, Charlton, for use as a three form of entry annex for an existing primary school.
Under the plans, the college would remain open, moving into a central London building.
It is not known how much the building would cost but the plan, according to a council report, would require around £900,000 to make the site, its play area and facilities suitable for primary children.
The borough is in desperate need of primary school places with a 17.9 per cent rise in the birth rate from 3,963 in 2005 to 4,674 in 2010.
Greenwich requires at least 17 more forms of entry – space for 510 youngsters - by 2013/14.
Twelve have been provided by expanding other primaries, but that still leaves the borough short of five.
