Council "stubbornly" presses ahead with plan to sell off school play area

11.03.22am GMT Mon 28th Jan 2008

Holland Park School

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has been forced to withdraw one set of plans to sell off the play area in Holland Park School to luxury property developers. But, according to the Lib Dems, the NEW plans put forward by the Tory-run Council STILL involve the selling off the school play area to finance the entire school being rebuilt on a smaller site. In addition, say the Lib Dems, the new plans would see all affordable housing removed entirely and distributed in other parts of the Borough.

"This is the worst of both worlds," says local Liberal Democrat campaigner Robin Tuck. "These plans would mean a massive loss of play space, and the homes they build over it would be for the wealthy only, with no housing available for teachers and other key workers.

"The Council were facing a costly public enquiry over their original plans which they knew they would probably lose. So they must not stubbornly make the same mistake again. The local residents association says that the Council has already wasted £5 million of taxpayers' money on its planning application! This time, the educational AND recreational needs of the children must come first."

The Lib Dems have called upon the Council to:

• Listen to what the Campden Hill Residents Association and other local residents are saying about the different options for improving the school.

• Abandon the idea of selling the play area to housing developers.

• Consult upon alternatives to an expensive high rise build.

But the biggest problem for the Council, according to the Lib Dems, is that a new Holland Park School and the new Lots Road Academy in Chelsea will not together provide sufficient Secondary School places in the Borough." "In particular," says Robin, "we believe that there are not enough non-faith school places available to children living in North Kensington. We therefore renew our call for the Council to begin preparations for a new secondary school in North Kensington."