Children may lose school places after plans for a new free school were delayed.

The Bellevue Place Education Trust plans to open Watling Park School on the former Pavilion Way playing fields in Burnt Oak in September.

Places have been offered to children starting in Reception, and the free school entered into a funding arrangement with the Department for Education back in April.

But at a meeting of Barnet Council’s assets, regeneration and growth committee on Monday, a decision to release the land – and move the proposals to the planning stage – was referred to full council by Labour councillors.

Labour claims this will enable a greater debate on the proposals – but the move sparked fury among Conservative councillors, who have accused Labour of “playing politics” with children’s education.

Conservative councillor Daniel Thomas, chairman of the assets, regeneration and growth committee, said 40 families had been offered places for September, but the school was now unlikely to be ready in time.

Cllr Thomas said: “Labour are recklessly playing politics with children’s education by wilfully delaying the building of a much-needed primary school. If the school isn’t set up in time, it means the children will have to go elsewhere. It’s caused a lot of uncertainty and is going to cause those families a real headache.

“The school in good faith applied to the Department for Education and Labour has now blocked it. Their actions have a domino effect of not giving the school enough time.

“The fact is, we need new school places in this borough. Labour complains there’s a lack of infrastructure, but when we do come up with plans they reject it. I could sense they were clutching at straws for reasons to block it.

“They are opportunistically and irresponsibly playing the system to try and unpick a democratic decision. This is yet further proof that Labour cannot be trusted to act in a sensible manner.”

Starting with two Reception classes in temporary buildings while the site is redeveloped, the trust hopes to provide 420 primary school places by 2021.

The plans, which will be subject to a further planning application, include sports facilities which would be open to the public outside school hours.

Labour councillor Nagus Narenthira defended the decision to refer it to full council, and said there was “ongoing opposition” from people in the area, with 200 having signed a petition opposing the plans.

Cllr Narenthira said: “I referred it to the full council so Burnt Oak councillors and the wider community can have a say. Every councillor can think about the proposal. It’s a more democratic way of doing things and we can find out more about this trust. There is more chance to debate it at full council.

“The public can see it and give their petition. We will know more about the trust which will run the free school and there will be a better chance of making a better decision.”

Cllr Narenthira said the site was unsuitable for a free school, and that the school places were needed in Colindale.

She added: “This land was a football club and had a covenant on it. The council has neglected it for ten years. Now they are putting the free school in there and are saying there’s an all weather pitch, but we don’t know how accessible it will be for the community or if there will be charges.

“I would like to see it remain as community facilities as before. That is what the covenant says it should be.”

Earlier plans for a Chinese language free school on the site were dropped last year.

The proposals will be discussed at the full council meeting on July 28.