Campaigners Have Deadline Set To Buy Merton Hall


Historic building is being converted for the Elim Church

Campaigners fighting against controversial redevelopment on Merton Hall in South Wimbledon have told the council they will bid to buy the building.

Work began in March to convert the historic building in Kingston Road so it can be used by the Elim Church. In return the church will free up their existing building in High Path to help enable a new Harris Academy free school (Harris Wimbledon) to be built on the site.

It has already been listed as an Asset of Community Value and campaigners stated their intention to bid for the building on March 15.

This triggered a moratorium for six months to give community groups chance to raise funds to purchase the building. They now have until September 15 to put in a bid to buy it.

The council has stated that a new school is needed in the borough to cope with rising pupil numbers.

A report to its Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny panel in October 2016 said that once the new Harris Wimbledon school was built there would be a predicted 36 surplus Year 7 secondary school places in Merton in 2019-20.

But a March 2018 Department of Education report covering school places across England predicted a surplus of 183 Year 7 secondary places in Merton in 2019-20.

  • The council has also recently reported that more than 95% per cent of children due to start primary school in Merton this September were offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

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May 1, 2018