BROCKLEY: Gordonbrock School building work delayed (From News Shopper)

BROCKLEY: Gordonbrock School building work delayed

11:10am Monday 5th April 2010 in

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PLANS to rebuild a 109-year-old primary school have been put on hold after a community group took legal action.

Work on Gordonbrock Primary School in Ladywell was due to begin on April 10.

Parents say the school in Gordonbrock Road, which has 480 pupils, is outdated with small classrooms and unsuitable outdoor toilets.

But the Brockley Society wants to save its Edwardian buildings and has put forward its own proposals which would mean refurbishing them rather than replacing them.

Lewisham Council did not conduct an environmental impact assessment for the plans, which it is legally required to do, and this allowed the society to successfully apply for an injunction to delay the building work.

The council now has to submit a new planning application but this will delay the work by six months.

More than 340 people have signed an online petition set up by the society against moves to demolish the school buildings.

Society spokesman Rob Parks said: “These buildings are fantastic and add a lot of character to the area. We do not support the notion they are not fit for purpose.

“While they need refurbishment and modernising, the actual buildings themselves are a fantastic base to start it.”

Six parents handed a petition signed by 430 people to Lewisham Council, supporting its £11m plans to rebuild the school.

Paul Crompton, who has three children at the school, said: “If it is not started soon the money will disappear. There’s a huge amount of anger from the parents.”

The 42-year-old added: “It is not fit for purpose for the number of pupils who use it. It is an old decrepit building in need of being brought in to the 21st century.”

Speaking about the society’s action, a council spokesman said: “We believe there are significant problems with the alternative plans they are promoting, which is why we have asked them to withdraw their legal action.

“Should the Brockley Society continue with a judicial review, this could delay any rebuild for at least another six months, or at worse lead to the entire project losing government funding.”