Parents' outrage at plans for new homes

THE controversial decision to give the go-ahead to a new development in Crouch End has sparked outrage by parents and teachers at a nearby school who fear future residents can peer in on their children.

At Monday's planning committee meeting, the council granted consent for nine three-storey, four-bedroom townhouses with car parking at 158 Tottenham Lane.

The site, which is currently vacant, is directly adjacent to Rokesly infant and primary schools and runs alongside the playground.

Paul Gunn, a parent at the school, said: "We totally object to it overlooking the school.

"There will be opportunities for people to engage with the children, which shouldn't happen.

"Residents will be able to communicate with the children through the windows. You only need to imagine what the worse situation will be."

Paul Guenautt, a governor at the private school, added: "We strongly object to plans on the belief that it will have a serious detriment effect on the pupils.

"There are issues of intrusion, overshadowing of the playground, the environmental impact and traffic flow will become more of an issue.

"It is literally an accident waiting to happen.

"The future of that site needs to be completely rethought."

Developer Pocket said it did as much as possible to accommodate suggestions from the school and residents.

Director Marc Vlessing said: "We did everything we could to engage with the school. To suggest we did not have the children's best interest at heart is nonsense.

"The wall would be high enough so you could barely see into the playground - let alone talk to the children."

But Mr Vlessing also said he was not entirely happy with the council's decision.

He added: "We originally wanted this site to be 25 or more affordable one-bedroom flats for about £160,000 but the council wanted nine townhouses.

"We're pleased it got consent but it's not right for young Londoners on moderate salaries.

"We could have made a better use of the land.