ILL-FATED plans to set up a third free school in Hammersmith and Fulham have been abandoned.

Rivendale Free School was one of 16 applications approved by the Department for Education (DfE) in 2010 and initially hoped to open last September.

Their project was set up by local businessman James Woods, in partnership with two former headteachers, but it ran into problems finding a suitable site.

Opposition from parents saw them shelve plans to take over the Milson Road Medical Centre, in West Kensington, in February last year while 170 parents of nearby Addison Primary School signed a petition against the school.

Plans to open were pushed back until September this year as the group worked with the Partnership for Schools group to find a home.

But that search has been unsuccessful and Rivendale has officially withdrawn its plans – which are thought to have cost thousands to develop.

Parents Alliance for Community Schools, set up to fight the plans, posted on their website: “Local parents were very concerned about the impact that this new proposed school would have on their children in local community primary schools.

“The offer of excellent education, life opportunities and parental satisfaction in these schools is very high amongst all levels and local parents want to protect their schools.

“There is no need to for another school here and the inevitable dilution of pupils across schools would have a devastating impact on our good and rapidly improving community schools.”

ARK Conway Primary School and the West London Free School are already up and running in the borough while the DfE has praised the Rivendale group for its efforts.

A spokesperson told the Chronicle: “The group behind the Rivendale Free School demonstrated the commitment and vision needed to create an excellent new primary school in Hammersmith and Fulham.

“The group also showed clear demand from local parents to their plan. Opening a free school is not easy and all proposers deserve credit for the hard work they put in.

“We would welcome an application from this group in the future.”

No-one from Rivendale Free School were available for comment despite several calls from the Chronicle.