FARA responded to a recent consultation about doubling the size of Davies Lane School and using Pastures. Our thanks to all the residents who suggested points to be covered and gave their views. (Where there were conflicting views we’ve gone with the majority.)
NB Should the plan to expand into Pastures go ahead there will be a further more detailed consultation – so please watch out for more news here or sign up for our email service (just send a message to info@fara-leytonstone.org.uk).
Our response on behalf of FARA contained the points below:
“We DO support the proposal for Davies Lane Primary School. Our support comes with the following caveats:
- Any expansion to the Pastures location should include enough parking spaces to accommodate every staff memberthat may commute by car.
- A plan to prevent an increase of school-run traffic into Davies Lane and Ferndale Road should be drawn up and shared with residents, and the level of traffic monitored.
- No temporary buildings (such as portakabins) are used at any time.
- Playgrounds should not back onto residential gardens.
- Playgrounds should also be screened by e.g. a line of trees to ameliorate any visual or noise issues to residents.
- The high brick wall at the Davies Lane boundary should be retained, and also the line of mature trees at the boundary with the back gardens of Ferndale Road.
- Pastures is a wildlife haven, attracting woodpeckers etc., and this should continue, i.e. some “wild” space must be left rather than considering all land for school use.
- Community groups should be able to continue to use Pastures land for events, including but not limited to Leytonstone Muslim Community Centre for their annual Family Fun Day, Transition Leytonstone for their annual Birthday event, etc. A particular effort should be made to provide free or low-cost meeting space out of school hours for local voluntary groups, and for youth groups such as Scouts/Guides and Woodcraft Folk (to compensate in some degree for the loss of the former youth centre).
- We wish to record our discontent that pressures for more school places are being brought on the south of the borough, when more affordable housing (and hence school places) could in future be provided in Chingford and other areas.”
Ferndale Area Residents Association (FARA) 