Kingston's adult education services could be on the move yet again - this time to a rented former office block in New Malden.

Adults taking educational courses could soon be studying at 46-50 Coombe Road, a four-storey office block close to the railway station.

According to commercial property consultants Bonsors, which is advertising the property, the building offers eight suites between 1,764 sq ft to 3,016 sq ft and four floors between 4,780 sq ft and 5,304 sq ft. 

The building has 18 car parking spaces in an underground car park and an additional 36 surface level car parking spaces may also be made available.

The new plans will be discussed at the Children, Youth and Leisure Commitee tonight, March 17.  

Councillor Andrea Craig, lead member for children youth and adult learning, said: "Our experience at Newent House is that having the adult education classes near a high street helps support the local economy and our small shops.

“We will be meeting local residents in the coming weeks to ensure that we work with the local community in New Malden and listen to their views and any concerns they may have.

“This is an exciting new chapter for Kingston's adult education and I look forward to announcing further details of our long term plan in the near future."

The relocation of adult education services has been up in the air for more than 15 months, after classes were moved out of the North Kingston Centre to make way for the Kingston Academy, the borough’s first free secondary school. 

Initially Kingston Council - then run by the Liberal Democrats - had earmarked the Beaconsfield Centre in New Malden as a potential, with disabled students at Orchard Hill College nearly forced out of their base after just one year.

But after fierce opposition, the council moved the service to Newent House, a former care home in Brown's Road Surbiton, amid further controversy.

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Adult education campaigner Christine Arnold said: “It made a complete mess of everything and all so unnecessary. 

"I think it is about time the council – whichever administration it is, ought to be thinking ahead and planning rather than playing catch up. There needs to be a long-term strategy.

“Not thinking ‘what can we do now?’ and pushing somebody else out. It is unnecessary chaos for people that don’t deserve it.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen to Newent House now. I think the new site is a good alternative to the North Kingston Centre but I am sad adult education has been moved to that side of the borough. 

"I was hopeful that a site in the middle of Kingston could be found.”

Plans to expand the King Charles Centre in Surbiton, where other adult education courses currently run from, were shelved after the new site in New Malden was found.