COUNCILLORS say they are powerless to prevent an academy school moving into a brand new £20m community facility in Deptford.

At last night’s mayor and cabinet meeting, councillors voiced their disappointment at Tidemill Primary School’s decision to ignore a community campaign and become an academy this term - opting out of local authority control.

But long-standing plans to move its pupils into Giffin Street’s Deptford Lounge building next month will still go ahead, with the school’s trust set to pay only a “nominal rent”.

Councillor Helen Klier told the meeting the council still had a legal requirement to hand over the building - which includes a library, café and rooms for community groups.

She said: “It’s a wonderful building and they’re extremely lucky.”

The academy is set to be fully charged for any after hours use of the building but negotiations are ongoing over the lease and the amount payable by the council for its upkeep.

Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock said: “It’s hugely disappointing that the school has become an academy in the face of very strong local opinion that it shouldn’t.

“It’s disappointing that this fabulous building, which was conceived as really setting the standard for community use and school use in a way which will be the model for the future, has been disrupted.”