New school places will be created at a Chorleywood school- but they will be allocated to children living near the proposed site for the new free school in Croxley Green, it has emerged.

St Clement Danes School will be applying to the Department for Education for 30 new places and these will be for children who wanted to go the Croxley Green Secondary School in September 2016 and live near Baldwins Lane.

Parents of year 5 pupils “felt duped” after supporting the plans on the understanding the school would open next September, but the opening date was put back until 2017.

St Clement Danes School is leading the bid to build the new free school in Croxley Green.

Richard Harrington MP has met with parents who are unhappy at the decision, and discussed the situation with Dr Valentine, head of St Clement Danes School, Hertfordshire County Council, and Lord Nash at the Department for Education.

Croxley Green Secondary School was scheduled to open in 2016, with many parents from Cassiobury, Croxley Green, Nascot Wood and other parts of Rickmansworth and Watford supporting the application.

However, one of the conditions attached to the school being given the green light, was that it opened in 2017.

St Clement Danes School will expand to accommodate the extra students.

Dr Valentine said: “We know parents were bitterly disappointed the Department for Education decided the new school would not open in September 2016 so St Clement Danes School Governors will make an application to the Secretary of State for Education to allow 30 extra places to be available in 2016 to those families in close proximity to the Croxley Green site.

“This change to the admissions process will be for one year only because our aim is to have the new Croxley Green School opened on Baldwins Lane for September 2017.”

The opening date was put back because education chiefs said there would be enough secondary school places in south west Hertfordshire in 2016, a claim which is being disputed by some parents.

The Department for Education also wanted more time was needed to secure the site in Baldwins Lane.

Richard Harrington, Watford’s MP said: “Having spoken to many of the parents affected, I know they were particularly keen on this new free school because of its location near to their homes, and the fact that it would be run by St Clement Danes which is such an outstanding school.

“I am sure parents will welcome the news that a new class of entry will be set aside at St Clement Danes for their children in 2016.

However, Andrew Webb, of Richmond Way, in a letter to the Watford Observer, said: “Notwithstanding the boost to house prices residents a stone’s throw from the school may benefit from, many Croxley Green locals displayed concern at the sitting of this new school that would eventually rise to 1,200 pupils.

“Some of the reasons for objection to the school at this location included traffic congestion damage to and encroachment on a local green space, building on a flood pain and simply insufficient room.

“The number opposed to the plan greatly exceeded the number required to be in favour by the Department for Education.”