Edgware synagogue school will be allowed to remain despite complaints from Mowbray Road residents (From Times Series)

Edgware synagogue school will be allowed to remain despite complaints from Mowbray Road residents

10:30am Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

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A CONTROVERSIAL synagogue school will be allowed to remain despite experts raising concern about the level of noise it will cause in a quiet Edgware street.

Councillors voted four to two last night to allow a retrospective planning application for the school in Mowbray Road, which was opened without permission in 2006.

The final decision on whether to allow the primary school, which has 58 pupils, to remain open was held over from last month's meeting to see if sound mitigation measures could be agreed.

At that meeting Mowbray Road residents spoke against the plans, saying the school had made their lives "intolerable" because of noise and parking problems.

However, in allowing the application members of the Hendon planning committee once again voiced their displeasure at school bosses for opening it without consent.

The chairman, Cllr Maureen Braun, said: “I voted for this with a heavy heart. I do think had it been refused and gone to appeal it would have been successful.

“Like the rest of the committee I'm angered by retrospective applications particularly when it's quite apparent when the school started the people who started it knew very well planning permission would be required.”

Cllr Agnes Slocombe, who voted against the plans, warned: “Should any more applications come on that site this committee will not be looking at it favourably.”

Earlier a council environmental health officer had warned the school would create more noise than is suitable for the area, with levels reaching six decibels above background noise during play times.

She added: “An acoustic fence will make some difference, but even with it my feelings are this would be too loud. It will have a positive affect but it will be too noisy here for school children.”

Members agreed to add the approval of a travel plan to the 19 other conditions to try and mitigate the effect of parents dropping youngsters off at school during rush hour.