BARNET Council has revealed plans to turn a much loved Mill Hill sports club into a primary school.

Despite campaigners’ efforts to prevent its closure, Mill Hill Sports and Social Venue in Grahame Park Way looks set to shut its doors for good at the end of the month.

General manager James Lewis announced he sold the site to developers in July, blaming Barnet Council for refusing to extend the lease.

But for months the sports’ club members have been left speculating who and what was going to take over the site, which has housed a cricket club since the Twenties.

Squash captain Irvin Gold said: “We’re being left in the dark – the council won’t tell us anything.”

But today the cabinet member for education, children and families, Councillor Andrew Harper told the Times Series: “We have been thinking about putting a school on this particular site for some time.

“In Colindale and the Burnt Oak area there is particular pressure in terms of primary school places.”

The £15.7m proposals suggest the sports club, which was built in 1988, is knocked down and rebuilt. The Orion Primary School in Lanacre Avenue would move to the site, providing an additional sixty school places.

Blessed Dominic RC School, in Lanacre Avenue, would take-over Orion’s current building which would be extended to provide an extra 30 catholic places. Talks are ongoing about providing 30 non-Catholic places as well.

Cllr Harper said: “These plans would help us meet our statutory responsibilities of providing school places within a two-mile radius and making sure every school is a good school.”

As well as providing sports including cricket, squash, football and jujitsu, the club is used by the Mill Hill Jazz Club and plays host to the annual Mill Hill Music Festival.

Cllr Harper said: “We are mindful this affects a number of different groups currently using the club but we will work with them to help them find new venues for their activities.

“When the new school opens there will be full community access to its state of the art facilities.”

The plans will be brought before the cabinet resources committee on Tuesday, September 27.