A new free school could take over the temporary Turing House site in Teddington once the school makes its move to a proposed Hospital Bridge Road site in Whitton.

The Stamp Education Trust (SET), which runs Thomson School in Mortlake, will be sending an application to the Department for Education in Autumn for Franklin House School, which they hope will be ready to open in September 2018.

Teddington councillor Stephen Knight said he did not believe a new permanent home for Turing House would be ready in time for another school to take over the site.

He said: “Their new site hasn’t even gone through planning yet and it is looking increasingly unlikely they will meet their deadline for the move.

“The planning programme is going to be long and cumbersome as it is on Metropolitan land and unless they move into portakabins initially I don’t see how the site would possibly be ready for the move.

“Construction [on the site in Whitton] will take at least 18 months, if not two years.”

Cllr Knight also expressed concern about the suitability of the Teddington site in Queen’s Road for a primary school.

He said: “As a primary school it has got very limited outside space and it is right on a very busy junction and also the air pollution on the site could be above the legal maximum.

“It is far from a perfect site, though I fully appreciate there are no perfect sites available.”

Thomson House business manager, Cathy Tilley, said the trust has a lot of experience with sites that have limitations.

She said: “The site is already set up as a school and we have been doing a lot of work with the highways department and Network Rail regarding its safety and suitability.

“Thomson School is by a level crossing and we have had no issues at all.”

The point of intake for the primary school will be around Teddington, Bushy Park and up to Harrodene Gardens, according to Ms Tilley, as the area has a high demand for primary places.

Founding member of the SET, Matteo Rossetti, said he wants Franklin House School to be one of the most respected and admired in south west London.

He added: “Not only because our children make outstanding academic progress, but also because they develop the curiosity to ask questions, the self-belief and courage to seize opportunities, and the heart to do good to those around them.”

A public meeting about the proposed school will take place at the Teddington Methodist Church opposite Turing House on July 2 from 2pm.