A review of the decision to give planning permission for the Livingstone Academy, a 1200 pupil secondary school in Mortlake SW14 7ET

Contributed by Geoff Woodhouse who gave evidence to the Stag Brewery Inquiry on behalf of the Mortlake Brewery Community Group.

This school is under review by the Department for Education (DfE) to ensure that it continues to meet a need for places in the local area and offer value for taxpayers’ money. It was also the subject of a planning appeal inquiry, APP/L5810/W/24/3339062, the outcome of which was announced on 2 May 2025. The Inspector in that inquiry has granted planning permission for the school. [1].

The Inspector ruled: “…. the Council, as the decision-making authority, has a duty to ensure that its forecasting and advice to the DfE is accurate, so that funding and places can be fairly distributed. Accordingly, I consider it appropriate to favour the Council’s forecasting evidence in my decision, which demonstrates that future need is a reason to justify providing a new school to add to the borough’s overall supply of secondary places.”

But this is not logical. The Council does indeed have a duty to be accurate and its officers have access to the best possible data, but it does not follow that the Council’s officers will make accurate forecasts. MBCG evidence showed that Council forecasts presented to DfE and to the Inquiry in 2024 were not accurate but overstated [2]. Parallel forecasts submitted to DfE in School Capacity returns since 2017 had also been overstated [3]. The report provides no valid reason to discount that evidence.

In line with the reasoning in §143, the report repeatedly refers uncritically to statements made by the Council. It also contains additional factual errors. For example, in §138 it is stated that the School Capacity Survey (SCAP) used in the Inquiry was compiled in 2023. In fact, new evidence submitted by the Council to the Inquiry in October 2024 [4] radically changed the method by which forecasts had been made in SCAP between 2017 and 2023. The resulting forecasts, submitted to SCAP 2024, were substantially lower than those of SCAP 2023 [5]. The report makes no comment on this instability in the Council’s forecasting.

[1] Decision Note that Inquiry Core Documents (eg CDE.30) can be found here. Evidence submitted is listed here.

[2] See Rebuttal to HK Update to Original Proof of Evidence see also
 (l) Geoff Woodhouse Updated Proof Rebuttal to Henry Kilpin (23 Oct 24)

[3] See (i) Geoff Woodhouse Updated Proof of Evidence (1 May 24 with corrected references 8 Oct 24) (pdf) and references 3 to 6 in the zip folder (j) Geoff Woodhouse Updated Proof of Evidence Appendices (1 May 24 with corrected titles 8 Oct 24) (zip folder)

[4] See Henry Kilpin Supplementary Proof of Evidence

[5] See CDE.31 Richmond School Capacity Forecasts 2023, CDE.32 Richmond School Capacity 2023, CDE.33 Richmond School Capacity Planned Places 2023, CDE.34 Richmond School Capacity Forecast Methodology 2023, CDE.35 Richmond School Capacity Commentary 2023, CDE.36 Local Plan Viability Assessment (April 2023) [1] See (l) Geoff Woodhouse Updated Proof Rebuttal to Henry Kilpin (23 Oct 24) Section 9 (pp28-30).

Geoff Woodhouse is a retired teacher and lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics. He has been associated with education in Richmond, as a teacher, lecturer, council officer or parent, for more than 45 years.

Part 2 of this review will be posted on Sunday 8 June 2025.