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| Academy approved – again |
New backing for academy plans
Objectors fail to halt controversial project
An architect’s image of the academy design |
A CONTROVERSIAL city academy in Holloway has finally won planning
approval after a fiery meeting.
Objectors and supporters exchanged jibes at a marathon meeting of
Islington Council’s west area planning committee in the Barnsbury
Complex on Tuesday evening.
Committee chairwoman Ccouncillor Emma Gowers had to constantly silence
the audience during debate on the St Mary Magdalene Academy plans.
The High Court quashed an earlier decision to approve the Liverpool
Road plans because English Heritage had not been consulted over
the impact of the project on the surrounding area.
Plans were approved on Tuesday despite objections from English Heritage
and the disclosure that children at the new academy will have less
play space than pupils at any other school in Islington. This week’s
decision means construction work at the St Mary Magdalene Primary
School site can continue, with the Diocese of London as £2
million sponsor.
Town Hall assistant director of planning Graham Loveland said the
building was “bulky” but “not unacceptable”.
He dismissed an English Heritage assessment that the scheme was
too big and was confident the academy would fit in with the overall
character of the area.
But he admitted, under questioning from Lib Dem councillor Ed Featherstone,
that there would be “peaks of noise” and that noise targets
would probably be exceeded.
Academy pupils will have only 8.56 square metres of space, compared
with figures of 9.85 square metres at Highbury Fields and up to
20.57 metres at Highbury Grove schools.
Tom Peryer, the Diocese’s director of education, said: “There’s
no correlation between the size of the site and difficult behaviour.”
He revealed that alternative sites for the academy, including Barnsbury
Complex, would have allowed exactly the same amount of space.
Objector Christine Clements, who claimed 800 square metres of playground
space was being lost, said: “The playgrounds and classroom
reach only the minimum regulations.”
The meeting was told that some homes in Bride Street and Crossley
Street will lose up to 13 per cent of their sunlight.
Planning officer Fiona Dunning said the scheme did not meet government
lighting guidelines, but architect Ian Taylor claimed most daylight
loss “won’t be noticed at all”.
Parent Colin McClean said: “Architecturally, at the moment
the school looks horrendous. Even if this new building wasn’t
a school it would blend in a lot better than what we’re got
at the moment.”
The academy, which will have 1,360 pupils aged five to 18, will
have four entrances in Crossley Street, Bride Street, Sherringham
Road and Liverpool Road.
Paradise Park will be used as part of the new academy’s recreation
grounds.
Valerie Hammond, from Friends of Paradise Park, said she was concerned
about the impact the pupils would have on the park.
Mr Loveland admitted the loss of Bride Street open space and “wild”
green space was in contravention of council policy, but added that
the academy’s special green and brown roofs made up for it.
Sixty-six trees will be lost in the building process but will be
replaced.
Mother-of-five and St Mary Magdalene governor Martine Oborne accused
objectors of having a “not in my backyard” attitude.
She said: “It may not be perfect for every individual but we’ve
got a very workable project.”
The Reverend Jonathan Rust, a governor of the school, said: “It
will be a brilliant secondary school with the Christian ethos of
the primary.
“We should trust those who have achieved so much for our school
and want to achieve much more.”
Objector Paul Greaney, from Crossley Street, said: “We want
good secondary schools in Islington but they’ve got be the
right ones. Let’s think about the nine we have.”
As part of the planning approval conditions, a progress report will
have to be presented to the west area committee every three months.
The academy is due to open in September 2007
The main building will be illuminated at night and will feature
a rooftop playground. |
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