CONTROVERSY over using a former school as a home for gypsies and travellers has reignited this week.

Tomorrow (Oct 5), Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock is set to agree to consult on using the former Watergate School in Church Grove, Ladywell, for up to nine pitches for travellers.

Lewisham currently has no home for its traveller community after their pervious site in Thurston Road made way for the Lewisham Gateway development.

Many now live in temporary housing and claim it is making them depressed.

A planning application was approved in 2008 to use the school site but, following court action by residents and concerns from travellers themselves, the approval has lapsed.

Verena Parker, 79, who has lived in the quiet, narrow, residential road for 40 years, said: "We don't want it and that's why we were fighting before."

She said: "We haven't even got room for all the owners' cars here and they want to come here with huge vehicles.

"One of the options they had was to put it behind the town hall but that wasn't acceptable.

"Instead they want to push it away to here."

Under the Housing Act, councils have a duty to make adequate provision for travellers.

Jan Cook, 66, said: "I think the general opinion is we don't think that's a suitable site for people to live on because of access - it's surrounded by the railway and river - and it's on a floodplain."

She said: "My heart sinks.

"The consultation cost and that whole process was a shocking waste of money if now they're going to go through it all again."

People also expressed concern over the width of the caravans and the impact on the conservation area. There were also questions about why the site could not be used as a school again.

But council officers have ruled out this option, saying the site's physical limitations make it unattractive as a school.

Travellers in Lewisham

There are around 100 traveller families in the borough, around 70 of whom are Irish travllers and the remaining being new age travellers and roma or English gypsies.

In a council questionnaire, many have revealed their current problems.

One Irish traveller with seven children said: "Since we moved into a house four of my children have mental health problems and me depression."

They said: "I'd like to live on a site because this is what me and my children are used to. We can't cope in a house."

Another said: "I live in my trailer because I hate a house. It's like prison and drives me depressed."

A mum-of-two said: "I'm a sick woman and this is very bad for me. I need to be closer to other families who live in houses all across Lewisham. We need to be together."

One other claimed the family was shunned by their neighbours, saying: "Some youths come past and shout 'gypsies, gypsies' at us. I don't let my children out to play."