The long-running saga over the future of the old Hampstead Police Station will continue next week, as a planning inquiry begins into Abacus Belsize Primary School’s bid to move in.
Legal teams for the school, Camden Council and groups including Hampstead Committee for Responsible Development (HCRD) will fight it out in a four-day virtual hearing from September 15.
The Department for Education and Abacus’ academy trust, Anthem, hope to overturn the council’s rejection of the move for the second time last NovemberAbacus is currently based in Camley Street. Plans for a 210-pupil school in the old police station were rejected over concerns about noise, air pollution, traffic and damage to the heritage of the Grade-II listed building.
Alex Shinder, secretary of HCRD, refused to be drawn ahead of the hearing - but thanked the Heath and Hampstead Society and local residents’ associations for their support.
The Department for Education declined to comment.
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