Three secondary schools will be expanded and a new one built Merton Council announced today as part of a £130m building programme.

There is an urgent need for more secondary places in the borough and schools run by the Harris Federation are being spearheaded by the Labour-run council for expansion.

David Cameron championed free schools, announcing in March his intention to open 49 across the UK over the coming years, including Harris Wimbledon which he said is due to open in 2016 to educate 1,150 pupils.

First on the list for expansion are secondaries Harris Academies Morden and Merton and St Marks Academy.

This comes on top of an £80m primary school expansion programme which will see an extra 4,400 places created by September 2018.

Dozens of sites including churches, car parks and pubs across the borough have been analysed in depth and either rejected as possibilities to house new secondary schools or shortlisted.

Wimbledon greyhound stadium in Plough Lane was considered by the council, but its size, "potentially difficult planning issues," proximity to an electricity station and flooding risk meant it did not make the shortlist.

AFC Wimbledon is still awaiting a date for a planning committee meeting to discuss its proposals for a new football stadium on the site but it is likely to be June or July before it is heard.

The Wimbledon Guardian reported in January that the Merton Adult Education (MAE) in Whatley Avenue was being considered as a secondary school, and it joins Mitcham’s Canons Leisure Centre, special needs schools and the Chaucer Building in Canterbury Road as potential sites on the short list.

The report states the council-owned Canons Leisure Centre could be converted or extended into a free secondary school, with implications for the Sea Cadet Association, Reserve Forces and Cadets Association based on its boundary in Commonside West.

Of Whatley Avenue, the report by Capita Symonds entitled Site Selection Options for the Provision of Additional Secondary School Places, says adult education would need to be re-located.

The report states the college is too small to provide a secondary school, but a smaller school could be viable, or it could be a split site, which means a smaller school would be built there, with a second site elsewhere.

It said there is potential for further expansion of Joseph Hood Primary School or to make the site one big school for reception to secondary ages effectively.

On the long list were the Dairy Crest site in Gap Road, Wimbledon police station (said to be a good site but difficult to purchase) Eddy Catz children’s play centre and Donald Hope library building which has since been granted permission to expand.

Councillor Martin Whelton, the council cabinet member for education said a site for the new school would be identified by the autumn and it would open at the very latest in 2018.

The wheels have been put into motion because of an urgent need for extra secondary school places in the borough. An extensive expansion programme for primary schools is underway.

Council leader Stephen Alambritis said: "School expansion on its own wouldn’t be enough.

"By 2018 we will need a new school provision.

"For us to build a new school it would cost £30million which we don’t have."

Coun Whelton said: "The Education Funding Authority is responsible for finding a site.

"We will work closely with them.

"There is no easy solution in Merton."

The council said it had budgeted £50million for secondary expansion, but part of the cost of the free school would be met by the Department for Education.

Shortlisted school sites: 

Canons Leisure Centre, Mitcham

Site on Church Road, Mitcham currently home to Melrose School, Cricket Green School, Worsfold House Children's Social Care and Orchard House.

Hall Place, Church Road, Mitcham

Chaucer Building and Canterbury Building, Canterbury Road, Morden

Cumberland Care Home, Whitford Gardens, Mitcham currently a day centre and nursing home

Mitcham Methodist Church, Cricket Green

Birches Close, Mitcham

Former Manuplastics site, Kingston Road junction with Dorien Road, Raynes Park 561-565 Kingston Road, Raynes Park

Merton Adult Education Centre, Whatley Avenue, Raynes Park