A proposal to expand Riversdale Primary School in Southfields is moving toward approval, with strong community backing and no objections on heritage grounds, but it still needs the green light from Wandsworth’s Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC) to ensure the design fits the school’s Grade II listed setting and its backdrop onto Coronation Gardens.
Riversdale was originally built in 1890–91 as Merton Road School, designed by London School Board architect T. J. Bailey. It is a striking example of the Queen Anne Revival style, with ornate gables, tall sash windows, and a dramatic roofline of cupolas and chimneys.
The school, its caretaker’s house, boundary walls and wrought-iron gates were all listed in 2009 as an ensemble of outstanding late-Victorian civic architecture. Its prominent corner position between Merton Road and Replingham Road makes it a Southfields landmark, visible from within Coronation Gardens.
The proposal
The current application would remove the “temporary” portacabins that have been in place for nearly 15 years and replace them with a two-storey classroom block with four new classrooms, therapy space, and modern facilities. The school would then re-landscape the play area with new synthetic turf.
The new block will stand just under 8m high, with brick detailing and vertical windows designed to echo the listed school without directly copying it.
The new building will not increase admissions but instead provide modern, permanent teaching space for the existing roll of about 389 pupils. The four new classrooms replace temporary portacabins and include areas designed for therapy and special educational needs support.
Parents and governors backing the scheme say it will give older pupils, especially those in Year 6, a more suitable learning environment, while creating space for children with additional needs who cannot easily be accommodated elsewhere .
Strong support from parents and community
The scheme has attracted 39 letters of support on the main planning application and a further 12 on the listed building application, with no heritage objections.
Supporters include parents, governors, local residents, and Southfields Academy, which called the scheme “sensible” and “hugely beneficial.” Many highlight flooding problems in the current playground and the urgent need for better facilities, especially for children with special educational needs.
One parent wrote:
“The current portacabins were intended as temporary but have stood for over 12 years. They’re no longer fit for purpose. This proposal will finally provide proper classrooms and safer outdoor space.”
Neighbour concerns
Just five objections were lodged — three from the same house on Standen Road, which backs directly onto the site. The resident argued the new building would overlook their garden and block light.
However, that person’s immediate neighbour at took a more measured approach, suggesting conditions such as opaque glazing on first-floor windows, protection for trees along Coronation Gardens, and better lighting controls.
A modern need in a historic setting
Riversdale is a two-form entry community primary school with around 389 pupils aged 3–11. It was rated “Requires Improvement” at its last Ofsted inspection in 2023, though inspectors praised its inclusive ethos, good behaviour, and strong early years provision.
Parents say the new block will finally match facilities to the school’s ambition while heritage campaigners will be watching to ensure the new building respects one of Wandsworth’s most distinctive historic schools.
Next steps
The CHAC will give its views on Monday 8 September whether the design respects the listed character of the building and its parkland setting. Their comments will feed into the Planning Applications Committee’s final decision.
For many in the community, the proposal is about more than bricks and mortar. It is about protecting one of Southfields’ loveliest historic schools, backing onto one of its most cherished green spaces, while ensuring it can deliver modern education for decades to come.
What do you think? Should historic schools like Riversdale adapt with modern extensions, or is there a risk of losing too much character? Share your views with us.
