Concerns have been raised over the expansion of a disabled children’s care centre in Richmond following national Government funding cuts.

The Croft Centre, in Windham Road, had planned to start work on a two-storey extension, complete with much-needed overnight facilities earlier this month. But now users of the site face an anxious wait to see if heavily relied upon finance from state funded capital grants will still be available.

Concerned parent John Doherty, a member of Richmond Parent Carers Action Group (RPCAG), said not going ahead would cause real problems for those who already have to send their children out of the borough for respite care.

He said: “[It would be] shortsighted not to go ahead with this application.

“This is what parents wanted - an overnight stay centre in the borough.”

He added: “If they don’t go ahead it will cost the local authority megabucks - a huge amount - as it has a legal obligation to provide short breaks.”

The centre’s plans were put in doubt following an announcement by the Department of Education stating councils were to put on hold any funding not already “fully committed”. Projects which have not been signed off could face a withdrawal of funding.

Councillor Christine Percival, Richmond’s cabinet member for education, youth and children’s centres, remained hopeful that as the Croft Centre project is at an advanced stage it may be allowed to continue.

She said: “We know how important the Croft Centre is to the families who use it, and that the proposed works would bring significant improvements to the community.

“The funding for the extension to the Croft Centre is being reviewed by the Government, as part of its wider review of building efficiencies [and] we were contacted by the Department for Education last week and have supplied them with the necessary information.

“We will keep people up to date with developments, as and when we receive them.”

Described as “invaluable”, the centre offers advice, assistance and support to families with disabled children and the RPCAG have been keen to see it extended to take overnight guests to avoid having to ship children to other boroughs for overnight stays.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said the funding freezes did not necessarily mean an end to the Croft centre’s plans.

He said: “It may not affect them - [currently we are just] writing to all authorities to look at how we can make savings.

“It is a fact-finding mission going on.”