Top councillors in Greenwich are set to scrap plans to expand a primary school – instead upping the room for kids with special educational needs.

Earlier this year Greenwich Council’s cabinet agreed to consult on putting a stop to the expansion of Boxgrove Primary School, in Boxgrove Road, Abbey Wood, which was first agreed in 2013.

Council officers said the £4m expansion was no longer needed because the demand for primary school places was not as great as was first expected.

Instead, it was proposed the council look into establishing a “specialist provision” at the school for children with autism, in light of growing pressure for specialist spots.

The decision was ‘called-in’ by Councillor Linda Bird, seconded by Cllr Peter Brooks in June.

In their call-in, the councillors said there has been “inadequate consultation” over the council’s programme to deliver school places across the borough, and wanted the expansion to be brought back to the table.

Now, following the call-in and subsequent consultations – to which there was just one response –  the cabinet are set to sign off on revoking the planned expansion.

Officers said in a new report: “The consultation process has now been completed and this report is asking cabinet, as the decision-maker, to determine and agree that the earlier decision to expand the school should be revoked, and instead that designated specialist provision for pupils with an ASD diagnosis should be established at the school.

“One response to the consultation was received.

“The chair of governors of Boxgrove School, and a former headteacher of a school in the area, has responded formally to the consultation confirming support for the proposal and the need for additional specialist SEND provision.”

If the expansion is not pursued the council would save £2.6m.

Over the next five years it’s expected that about 100 additional school places will be needed to cope with rising numbers of pupils with autism.

A new specialist provision for eight pupils with SEND will be opened from next September, if councillors agree to give the plans the go-ahead next week.

Boxgrove Primary School has been judged ‘good’ by Ofsted.