Legal battle looms over school move

5:00pm Monday 17th March 2008

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PLANS to relocate a secondary school to a site on the Greenwich Peninsula are set to face a legal challenge.

The John Roan Campaign, which has been demonstrating against the relocation of The John Roan School, Blackheath, is mounting a legal case against Greenwich Council.

And the John Roan Foundation, which owns part of the school grounds, is also seeking legal advice after unanimously voting against the current plans at its own meeting.

The proposed relocation is part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme, which aims to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in the country.

It would see the 1,200 pupil school, currently split between two sites in Westcombe Park and Maze Hill, join under one roof.

School governors voted in favour of the relocation on February 27, leading to four of the 20 governors resigning, including two members of the foundation.

Caroline Cooper, who runs the campaign with other parents, said: "At the moment, the campaign is working with a lawyer to bring a case of maladministration against the council."

Ms Cooper said the council had a legal obligation to consult with primary schools about secondary school provision and to take into account parental concerns.

She said: "Looking at the way they've handled the whole issue, we believe we have a case in law."

Ms Cooper, whose 13-year-old daughter goes to the school, says she has a long-term interest in its future because of her three other children, the youngest of whom is five.

The 43-year-old, of Egerton Drive, Greenwich, said: "They're taking away the only local secondary school and they're not taking into account provision for children in this area.

"We're saying by all means build a school but don't make it the John Roan."

The campaign has also raised concerns the 7,000sq m school will be built too close to a gasworks on the peninsula and has a petition against the move with 567 signatures.

Greenwich Council has previously said the decision rests with the school's governing body and the foundation, which owns the Maze Hill part of the site and the school playing fields, is expected to abide by the decision.

Foundation chairman Linda Nelson, one of the governors who resigned at the meeting, said the trustees were undecided on the future of the Maze Hill site.

She said: "The council has taken legal advice and the advice they have is if the governing board voted for the school to move, then the trustees are bound to agree. I don't want that.

"I don't think the site is fit for purpose."

Planning permission was granted on August 30 to build a school on the peninsula.

The £40m building is expected to be completed by 2011.

A council spokesman said: "Greenwich Council remains committed to delivering a first-class school on the peninsula and is pleased the governing body of The John Roan School shares our commitment.

"We will continue negotiations with the foundation and hope to reach an agreement satisfactory to both parties."

She added: "The school will only be moving a distance of just over a mile and will continue to serve the whole of the area from which it currently recruits pupils.

"We are also carrying out consultations on introducing a Priority Recruitment Area so families living within the existing recruitment area, even at an increased distance from the school, will still have a realistic chance of securing places."