PLANS for a 28 storey tower block on the site of a crisis-hit Wembley school have been scrapped.

Brent Council's Liberal Democrats say they have binned the scheme, which was intended to fund a rebuild of Copland Community School, in Cecil Avenue.

The project was initially approved under the Labour administration in 2005, but four years later pupils are still learning in the same “crumbling” building, with no new development in sight.

Councillor Paul Lorber, leader of Brent Council, said: “By scrapping Labour's unwanted 28-storey tower block, we are listening to what local people want.

“Our priority is to rebuild the crumbling Copland School and to provide more realistic buildings which will provide new homes, shopping and leisure facilities and jobs.”

But Councillor Ann John, leader of the Labour Group, accused the Lib Dems of “scrapping” a scheme that had already been killed off by the credit crunch to score political points ahead of the Wembley Central by-election.

One of the ward's three seats will be up for grabs at a poll on Thursday, July 23, sparked when Vijay Shah, 45, of Clayton Avenue, was jailed for 12 months for fraud.

Cllr John said: “I think this is typical Lib Dem hypocrisy, saying one thing and then doing something quite different.

“Saying 'no' to something that had already been stopped while at the same time building four tower blocks in the area.”

She pointed to six large-scale developments across the borough approved under the Lib Dems, including Chesterfield House, in Park Lane, and another block planned for Central Square.