A proposed new priority catchment area for a primary school has caused outrage after excluding all nearby council estates, instead taking in private roads that are further away.

The suggested priority area for the expanded Kingswood Primary School in Gipsy Road would see residents from an area in Knight's Hill ward gain priority over those who live closer to the Gipsy Hill school.

The controversial plans, which would come into effect for 2011, are particularly inflammatory as the area surrounding the school is dominated by council housing, while the proposed catchment area is almost exclusively private.

Lambeth Council insist the proposal would be scrapped if there was a negative response to the public consultation, which runs until March 1.

But critics have said residents were not informed of the proposals, even though the consultation is already under way, and said the town hall had no substantial plans to alert the disadvantaged families so they could have their say.

Ros Munday, Norwood Tenants Council chair, said: "I'm quite disappointed to say the least. I want to know why council tenants are being excluded."

The council’s consultation document claims the priority area is needed because families in the Knight's Hill ward are too far from all schools to gain priority anywhere.

But Conservative councillor for Gipsy Hill ward, Andrew Gibson, said those families would have access to the nearby Crown Lane school and the expanded Julian's Primary School.

He added: "The plans are discriminatory against all Gipsy Hill residents and indeed against most council tenants in Knights Hill, as the council’s own map shows. In short, Lambeth Labour is resorting to little-used powers to allow queue jumping.”

He also accused deputy council leader Jackie Meldrum, a Knight’s Hill councillor, of trying to give priority to a particular area in her own ward.

But Councillor Paul McGlone, cabinet member for children and young people’s services, defended Coun Meldrum and denied the proposals were a political manoeuvre. He also claimed the consultation began before the council knew Julian’s Primary School could be expanded.

He said: "I’m not going to pre-judge the results of the consultation, but if local people don’t want a priority area then, clearly, we will listen and we won’t go ahead with it. That is why I urge residents to respond to the consultation."

The consultation closes on March 1, 2010. The consultation document and details of how to respond can be found at lambeth.gov.uk