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| UPDATED
EVERY FRIDAY
Last Update:
Friday 20th
May, 2005 |
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| All
content © New Journal Enterprises, 2005. |
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| School wins tower block fight |
GOVERNORS and teachers at
an award-winning Holborn school have defeated plans for a
six-storey tower which they said would have blocked sunlight
from its playground, writes Richard Osley.
Architects firm Ash Sakula drew up plans for the tower containing
a bar, restaurant and 11 new flats in Mount Pleasant on the
site of the Churchills pub, which was to have been demolished.
But the project brought objections from staff and parents
at Christopher Hatton Primary School in nearby Laystall Street.
Nicholas Rutland, the school’s chairman of governors,
led a protest at Thursday’s decisive planning meeting.
He told councillors that the proposed building would tower
over the school’s compact playground.
Mr Rutland said: “Many of the children do not have play
space at home. We are very tight for space.”
He added that, as the playground was an extension of the classroom,
the children deserved “higher consideration”.
Mr Rutland said: “It is a very successful school. This
has been marked by Ofsted. Embarrassingly, we have been referred
to as a jewel in the crown of Camden’s schools.
“Camden has put money into maintaining and improving
the playground.”
His comments were backed by Labour councillor Deirdre Krymer,
Camden’s former education supremo who now sits on the
Town Hall’s planning committee.
She said: “The school has the least desirable playground
space in Camden. I know because I have visited all the schools
in the borough.
“In the 19th century children got rickets because they
did not have enough sunlight. I don’t think that we
have reached that stage but children need sunlight.”
Defending the plans, architect Robert Sakula said: “I
have lived in this area for 25 to 30 years. Our offices are
100 yards from the school.
“We have been careful and considerate. At the moment
the outlook is the back of a rather grotty pub.
“The new building is a building I think the neighbourhood,
the school and the community will be proud of.”
Although the scheme was backed by officials in the Town Hall’s
planning department who said that sunlight to playground would
be “unaffected”, councillors rejected the plans. |
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