A new home for Clarendon School is one step closer after Richmond Council sanctioned the largest land purchase in its history.

As well as the new purpose-built home for the special educational needs school, the site will also house a new secondary school as part of the Richmond Education and Enterprise Campus (Reec) at Richmond College.

The formal purchase of the 4.5 acres was agreed by the council's cabinet on November 5.

Councillor Paul Hodgins, cabinet member for schools, said the deal marked a major milestone in the programme to deliver a new secondary school and state-of-the-art SEN school in Twickenham by 2017.

He added: "We already know from parents, right across the borough, that the educational proposals for both the new secondary school, Clarendon rebuild and the college are popular.

"Over the next year, as areas such as the schools curriculum are developed, I know that the innovative nature of such a partnership can only gather more support."

In the past month, a consultation with residents was carried out about the Reec site, which will include new college buildings and a tech hub for media giants Haymarket.

Further consultation takes place in January.