New Schools in Lea Bridge Road

Planning Application

Thames Water 150a Lea Bridge Road Leyton London E5 9RJ

Redevelopment of the site for the construction of a new two-storey primary school building including a nursery, and the construction of a new three-storey secondary school building, together with associated external play areas, sports grounds, ball courts, multi-use games areas, vehicle access, parking, pick-up and drop-off areas, cycle parking, and landscaping (Departure from the Waltham Forest Local Plan). An application is also made for the provision of temporary school accommodation in the form of one- and two-storey temporary school buildings.

150A Bridge Road, E5 9RJ

My objections to this planning application are :

1. Metropolitan Open Land - there is no point in having these designations if they are to be ignored as soon as someone comes along wanting to develop the land. 

2. Site Location: - Lea Bridge Road has been congested by traffic for decades so it is not sensible to develop the area with residential and schools. This land is the flood plain of the river Lea and as such should be kept as open land and passed to the Lee Valley Park Authority to incorporate into the park.

3. Aquifers - Thames Water maintain water storage aquifers under the site and these should be given priority over any other development. The land above should be kept clear and used for ecological purposes and wild life as a barrier to the the urban environment which further up Lea Bridge Road is heavily congested. This needs to be the green lung for the over developed surrounding area.

4. Transportation - access to the school will be via a variety of means and all of which involve using the heavily congested Lea Bridge Road. It will just cause stress to the pupils and teachers attempting to reach the school on time each day. It will also be essential there is a staggered exit from the school at the end of the day as the transport routes will not be able to cope with 1,800 pupils all leaving at the same time. All this will have an effect on the mental well being of the staff and pupils.

5. Bus Route - TfL cannot afford to run the 48 bus route so are proposing to close the bus route which many pupils and staff would use to get to and from Walthamstow Central. The closure of this route will congest the other routes making it a misery to travel by bus to and from the proposed school.

This is completely the wrong site for a school which will attract thousands of transport movements each day and should be refused.

Adrian