City academy building is delayed

A city academy construction project has been hit by delays.

Paddington Academy is being built on the site of North Westminster Community School at a cost of about £25million and is due to open next year.

But the Evening Standard understands that after only six months of building work, it is already two months behind schedule.

It is the second blow this week for Tony Blair's flagship scheme, following the decision of the charity founded by supermodel Elle Macpherson's partner, financier Arpad Busson, to pull out of sponsoring an academy in Islington.

A spokesman for the Paddington academy's sponsor, Christian charity the United Learning Trust, insisted that it would open in September 2006 as planned.

But news of its problems will revive uncomfortable memories for ministers.

Last year pupils at Malory School in Lewisham had the start of their autumn term thrown into chaos because workmen turning the failed comprehensive into an academy left it unsafe and temporary classrooms had to be used.