The need for primary school places in Croydon is set to rise by up to 16 per cent by 2020 as the capital faces a shortfall, London Councils has said.

A report by the group, which represents local government in each of the city's 32 boroughs, said London's primary-age population is to increase by 73,000 in that period, meaning a rise of between 12.1 and 16 per cent for our area.

Croydon will face slightly less pressure than Harrow and Greenwich, but must find new places at a similar rate to Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge, London Councils warned in the report released this week.

Peter John, its executive member for children, said: "Councils in London have worked exceptionally hard with school heads and governors since 2010.

"But without sufficient resources it will be extremely difficult to manage complex primary expansions and meet the rising demand for secondary school places in the future."

London Councils claimed the capital needed £1.5bn in new funding to create the places and secure future secondary school places for primary pupils.

The Department for Education said it had doubled school place funding to £5bn and created 500,000 new places nation-wide.

A spokeswoman said: "London has benefited significantly from this investment, receiving almost £2bn in the last four years, almost 40 per cent of all the funding provided to local councils for new places."

New free schools would create more places for pupils, she added.