Hundreds of youngsters could soon be without a secondary school place if the council do not step up their plans to build a new school, it has been warned.

Richmond’s Liberal Democrat education spokesman claimed extensive research had revealed secondary schools would run out of spaces for borough pupils by 2015.

Councillor Malcolm Eady warned up to 170 pupils could be without a school place at one of Richmond’s secondary schools by 2016.

Coun Eady said: “We will run out of school places in September 2015. As it took four and a half years to rebuild Teddington time is running out.

“A year after coming to power we still have no plans from the new administration on how the council’s proposes to deal with shortage of secondary school places resulting from the rise in birth rate which hit our primary school a few years ago.

“They seem to understand the problems, but they are intent on making the problems worse, and finally are reluctant to set about implementing solutions.”

He warned the council was unlikely to receive the necessary funds for the new build from the Government as it had to provide cash for an extra 70,000 primary school places across London and deal with a backlog of school repairs in England costing about £8.5bn.

He said plans should be looked into as soon as possible to ensure money for the new school could be secured.

However, the council’s deputy leader said he believed they had at least six years to deal with the problem.

Councillor Geoffrey Samuel said: “We have plenty of time but the last thing we want is to be caught out.

“We want to start planning for it now.

“We’s determined this decision will be taken in time, the problem is you need an enormous amount of space for a secondary school.

“I reckon to be realistic six years is when the pinch will come and providing the decision is taken within the next two years we will meet the need.”

Richmond Council is hoping a new Catholic secondary school could be built in the borough, which has been backed by more than 1,100 Catholic parents who have signed a petition in support of the plans.