Willow Dene School in Beckenham set to get a new £12.6m building

Willow Dene School, which looks after youngsters with learning disabilities from across the borough, is still housed in the crumbling buildings it first occupied a decade ago - despite Greenwich Council’s promise to find it a permanent site by 2004.

Proposals to move it to Hervey Road sports field in Blackheath sparked a backlash and the long-running saga meant construction costs rose steeply.

But new plans, set to be agreed on Tuesday by Greenwich Council’s cabinet, will see it rebuilt at its current location in Swingate Lane, Plumstead.

Parent Fenella Howard who, along with others, has been campaigning for action over the poor state of the school buildings, said: “This has just been going on and on.

“But we’re happy the council are taking it seriously and are finally willing to give us what we need.”

She said parents still had concerns that the original scheme was set to cost £21m, and this figure had now nearly halved.

Ms Howard, whose 10-year-old daughter Georgina goes to the school, added: “The problem is it will still be right out in the end of the borough and inaccessible to an awful lot of people.

“But at least something is happening now.”

While construction goes on, half the children could be moved to the Charlotte Turner site in Deptford.

In their report council officers admit the current building “is in a poor condition and provides an inadequate environment for use by pupils”.

Back in February, News Shopper reported problems with broken windows, holes in walls, the heating system packing up and parts of the school being inaccessible to pupils with wheelchairs.

A Greenwich Council spokesman said: "As the cabinet report states, the council has not been able previously to put together a viable financial package for this scheme.

"A council proposal to relocate Willowdene School six years ago was rejected by the school's governing body.

"If the proposals are approved by Cabinet on Tuesday then the renovation can be completed."

"Wonderful news"

The Friends of Hervey Road group have hailed the news as a success for their campaign to keep the playing fields for community use.

Susan Proudfoot from the group said: “We think it’s wonderful news, particularly for Willow Dene because their uncertainty will end and they’ve been waiting such a long time.

“If the council do agree then we’re halfway there - we’ve actually saved it for the moment.”

She added: “We’re hopeful that, this being the case, next we can work with the council and funding trusts to try and restore the field back to being a proper sports venue again.”

The group has already applied to the London Marathon Trust to try and safeguard the site and hopes to form a trust that can run it.

School's quality award

An exciting week for Willow Dene was capped when it became one of only nine schools in Europe to win a top charity award.

The school is being given a Move Quality Mark today for its work in improving children’s mobility.

Run by the Move disabled children’s charity, it was awarded for excellent team work and outstanding methods to raise standards.

Charity boss Peter Holland said: “The children, teachers, therapists and parents at Willow Dene School have all worked extremely hard with the programme so it’s great to celebrate their efforts and accomplishments.”