There is still no official announcement on the future of the land at the Stag Brewery site.

To recap Richmond Council has for some years argued that a 1200 pupil secondary school was necessary for local educational needs. Central Government funding was allocated in 2016 and Livingstone Academy was expected to provide the school. Richmond Council gave planning permission in the face of substantial local opposition.

As part of an appeal against plans for the whole site in May 2025 the Planning Inspector approved the applications for both the residential and education plans.

But that was not the end of the story. Central Government still had to confirm that the funding remained available. That matter has been sitting on a desk somewhere in the Department for Education since November 2024.

Richmond Council made it abundantly clear during the hearing of the Planning Inquiry that the school could not go ahead without central funding.

It is now rumoured that the Government is ‘not minded’ to approve the funding. That has seemed probable since the Spending Review in June 2025, but no firm decision has been announced. It is thought that the civil service weasel speak ‘not minded’ has been used to give time for Richmond Council to appeal against the DfE mind.

It is now thought unlikely that the Council will appeal. There seems to have been a gradual acceptance that the school is no longer needed, especially in the light of falling school roles across London.

Meanwhile of course we still do not know the developer’s plans for implementing the planning permissions, if at all given their statement that they are looking for funding support from elsewhere.

What would local residents like to see, if the Government, Richmond Council and developers think their views are of any importance?

EastSheenMatters says: Move Thomson House School from its present two sites to a safe site at the Stag, reduce the height and density of the residential units, and enter discussions about whether retention of the film studio with a film college is feasible.