PARENTS of more than 400 disabled children have written to the chief executive of Surrey County Council, asking that a disabled centre be allowed to relocate to the disused Park School site.

Developers Barratts have had two applications to replace the school in Hale Road withhomes rejected by planning inspectors who indicated the site should be used for community purposes.

Guildford-based Disability Challengers, which deals with more than 650 children in the area and has a waiting list twice that length, is seeking to turn the site into a day centre.

Facilities at a rejuvenated Park School site would cater for after school clubs for disabled youngsters from three years old upwards, split into different age groups.

They are also proposing to purchase two houses on the site for providing temporary breaks for carers and young people using the facilities.

Ric Law, manager of Disability Challengers, said the organisation's centre in Stoke Road made an enormous difference to the lives of those using the facilities. He believed the need for the expansion was urgent.

"We heard from the county council about a week ago that it does not want to transfer one of its schools for autism there, and is talking with Waverley Borough Council about how best to dispose of the land. We are hopeful a decision can be made pretty soon.

"The fact that 400 parents of disabled children have written to the council about this, and our waiting list of 670 families requiring our services, demonstrates the enormous need for the new centre in Farnham."

He added that Disability Challengers had been trying to find a suitable site for expanding its facilities in the area for the last four years without success.

In January, resident John Hewerdine raised concerns about the rundown state of Park School since it was vacated as a social services family centre in the late 90s, having closed as a school in the '80s.

He said the premises had become a magnet for vandalism and people wanted the council to decide its future quickly.

"Most of the local folk would like to see Guildford charity Disability Challengers purchase the buildings, as they are currently the only potential purchaser falling within the inspectors' remit.

"This suggests the council look to a different marketing strategy with a view to the site being used for social purposes," he said.

Surrey County Council refuted the suggestion that they were stalling on the issue and said a decision would be made shortly.