The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has blocked the plan to build one of the government's 20 new city academies in a park in one of the capital's most deprived areas.

The Corporation of London had pledged £2 million and Southark council had backed plans to construct the building of the 1,500 school in Paterson Park as the only convenient site. However, the mayor ruled that although the school is needed, it should not replace another public amenity.

Forum Response: Corporation of London

Judith Mayhew, the chairman of the Corporation of London's policy and resources committee, told ePolitix.com: "We're bitterly disappointed and surprised by this news.

"The academy would be an enormous boost for the area, providing a centre of excellence and desperately needed secondary school places, with the opportunity for pupils to specialise in business and enterprise and then go on and find employment.

"It would also provide a wide range of top class sports, leisure, IT and other facilities to benefit the whole community."