A new Kingston free school will take temporary residency in a former NHS clinic for at least two years. Kingston Community School will open this year at the former Acre Road Clinic in Acre Road, Kingston.

The building was previously a psychological therapy access centre, and has been empty since December 2014.

The location is about a 15-minute walk from the school’s permanent site of Kingstons House, an old office block in Coombe Road that was bought by the Education Funding Agency for more than £8m.  

Councillor Andrea Craig, lead member for children, youth and adult learning, said: “It is a good solution temporarily.

“But I want to see better strategic planning between different departments. “I am going to push that the Education Funding Agency (EFA) delivers a school on the permanent site as quickly as possible.”

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Kingstons House will eventually make way for Kingston Community School 

The primary school will be run by Christian group Chapel St, and will now welcome 60 reception class students at the former clinic in September.

An NHS properties spokeswoman said: “Local health commissioners were clear that the site will be needed for healthcare provision in the future. However there were no plans for it in the immediate term.

“We have therefore agreed to rent the site to the EFA until summer 2017. The site will remain in NHS ownership during this time and it will then be for the commissioners to determine the future use of the building, as best fits the healthcare needs of the area.”

The temporary building will have some internal refurbishments made to it, while Kingstons House will also face refurbishment to make it “fit for purpose”.

Mary Elcock, regional London director for schools at Chapel St, said: “The temporary site in Acre Road is less than half-a-mile from our long-term home on Coombe Road which will be reassuring to parents.

“Now, when parents receive their offer letters later this month they can choose to accept in the knowledge that their children will be at an excellent local school, which is still very close to their homes.”

Emma St Marthe, of Acre Road, said: “Where are children going to play? There is no playground. I am fuming.

“Everybody is in uproar because we had no consultation.

“When the clinic was open it really impacted on our road and now lots of parents will be coming in cars to drop their children.”