Plans to sell an outdoor activity centre used by Redbridge children since 1963 are to go ahead after a school-organised petition failed to overturn a council decision.

A full council debate was held last night (May 21) at Redbridge town hall in Ilford over the future of the Glasbury Outdoor Education Centre in Wales, after a petition with 2,718 signatures called for Redbridge council to re-consider plans to sell the centre.

The decision to sell Glasbury, which has been run by the council as an outdoor activity centre with canoeing, rock climbing and kayaking for up to 1,800 pupils a year, was made in November 2014.

Last night, councillors voted to uphold the decision and sell the centre by August this year despite the petition organised by South Woodford's Churchfields Junior School.

Speaking after the meeting to the Guardian, Churchfields Junior School headteacher Wendy Thomas said the decision was a “backdoor closure” while schools were in half term.

She said: “The decision was made in October half term and I only saw it a week later when checking my emails, it was a bolt out of the blue.

“I had to go back to school and tell the children, we had only just returned from the centre which was so enjoyable one child had told his parents that it was his best holiday ever.

“Glasbury is in a completely rural and beautiful environment and it is a laughable that Fairlop Waters is being talked about as a replacement.

“It is a tragic loss for future generations of children and parents who are upset and disgusted.”

In the meeting, Lib Dem councillor Gwyneth Deakins agreed that Fairlop Waters was not an adequate replacement.

She said: “Anyone who thinks Fairlop Waters is a replacement should be contemplating legal action against their opticians.”

But former deputy leader of the council, now MP for Ilford North, Wes Streeting said he did not regret the council’s decision.

He said: “No one is suggesting that Fairlop is an alternative to Glasbury.

“I am sorry we had to make this decision but there are harder decisions to come with the context of local government funding in Redbridge.

“The decision was not taken because of the quality of experience, it was made because of funding cuts.

“I do not regret the decision.”