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Cllr Klute, second from right, with residents who live near the academy |
City academy in substation shock
Residents raise the alarm over planning
DEVELOPERS behind the new City of London Academy have been forced to take down an electricity substation after building it over a proposed playground without planning permission.
But neighbours are preparing to put up a fight after construction firm Galliford Try, working for the City of London Corporation, admitted they would forge ahead with plans to relocate the substation just metres from their pretty Victorian terraces in Angel.
To a passer-by, it looked like just another stage in the huge redevelopment of Islington Green School. But to neighbours of the new City of London Academy Islington site, the mysterious 9ft brick structure which sprung up over the planned playground was an unwelcome and worrying addition.
It was only when they called on ward councillor Martin Klute to point out that it had no planning permission, that Galliford Try backtracked and demolished the structure.
Resident James Linforth said: “The original plans show they are relocating the substation elsewhere. Suddenly this brick building started coming up. It was supposed to be basketball courts. It took us to point out that it had gone up without planning permission.”
The development of the new academy has steadily been ruffling feathers among residents, who complain the new buildings don’t suit the conservation area, builders have been causing noise and disturbance outside permitted hours and crime has gone up.
The substation was originally planned for a spot close to Raleigh and Packington streets and away from the Rheidol Terrace side of the site.
Galliford Try say they will rebuild in the same spot, moving slightly further in from the pavement.
Andrew Pitman-Wallace, who lives opposite the site, said: “It looks like they will only move it 3ft. Their excuse is that, if they build it where originally planned, they would have to lay cables under the site and that would cost a lot of money.”
Mr Pitman-Wallace said residents have suffered from noisy cement trucks turning up in the early hours and leaving their engines running.
The company has also been criticised for using bright red bricks, instead of London brick, in building the new sports hall.
Graham Tindall, who lives around the corner from the site, said: “It’s all part of the insensitivity to the conservation area, plonking some modern thing which doesn’t really integrate with everything else.”
Cllr Klute said: “I spoke to the planning officer at some length about the substation – she called them [Galliford Try] and told them to stop work and now it’s been taken down.”
A City of London Corporation spokeswoman said: “Following a meeting held with local residents on April 22, a revised planning application has been submitted addressing all the comments raised. This latest proposal does relocate the substation but this will not lead to a loss of any play area.” |
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