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| The actual site yesterday |
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Artist's impressions of the new school above and below
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Less than two weeks after Brent Clean Air warned about the need for urgent action to protect children from air pollution in schools site next to busy roads
LINK, Brent Planning Committee will be considering building a 630 pupil primary school and nursery on the car park of York House, next to busy (and likely to be busier as Wembley continues to expand through regeneration) Empire Way, close to Wembley Stadium Station. Traffic is already far busier than the artist's impression above, and busier at school times than shown in my photograph.
However, the Officer's report for the Committee
LINK does not go into any detail about air pollution, referring instead to a far more general reference back in 2015 when outline planning permission was given and focusing on the impact of demolition and construction rather than children's daily exposure to pollution.
They suggest that the playground will be protected from air pollution by the school building, although a rooftop multi use games area (MUGA) is planned as well as a rooftop learning area. The playground itself is very small for a 630 pupil school.
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| Ariel view over the school playground |
There is an acknowledgement that the area has heavy traffic as the report proposes that there should be reserved parking for parents at the red multi-storey car park near the LDO which would be a dropping off point for the children. Entry to York House itself will be via the LDO.
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| The present car park bounded by Empire Way, Stadium Way and the Royal Route |
The school will be run by Ark as goverment policy does not allow local authorities to build new schools, and anyway Brent Council leader, Muhammed Butt, who attended the February consultation meeting about the plans, is a great fan of Ark. and sits on the governing body of Ark Elvin which is round the corner from the proposed school. Others in Brent Labour Party are critics of the whole academies programme. Putting that aside there is no discussion on whether a school of that size is required as the recent pupil census showed spare places in Brent Primary schools
LINK and there may be a further reduction as a consequence of Brexit. Of course new flats are going up at a pace around Wembley stadium but they are not being designed, or marketed, as accommodation for families.
Quite a test for the scrutiny powers of the new Planning Committee.
