Parents’ buildings plea for new Free school - demo at vacant buildings in Fitzjohns Avenue and Maresfield Gardens
Published: 23 July 2011
by JOSIE HINTON
PARENTS staged a demonstration on Saturday at the site of two vacant buildings they want to turn into a free school.
Last week the council put the buildings in Fitzjohns Avenue and Maresfield Gardens up for sale, marketing them as “prime residential development opportunities”.
But a group of parents in Belsize Park, whose bid to open a new primary school depends on the use of the site, are refusing to let them go without a fight. Parent Liz Taylor said: “Often people end up having to move, find religion or scrabble together enough to pay for a private school for a year or two until a local school place comes up. Does Camden Council seriously think it is fair and right for a group of parents to continually solve a council planning problem at their own financial and emotional expense year after year?”
Town Hall finance chief Councillor Theo Blackwell said: “Unless it had escaped people’s notice, the council is right up against it financially, with a massive repairs and modernisation bill for schools and council homes across the borough. This means we have competing priorities. Taxpayers will expect the Town Hall to look at these priorities in the round, which is what we will do in July.”
The council’s Community Investment Programme is to be discussed next month.