Campaigners fighting the expansion of a West Harrow school feel Harrow Borough Council is “not treating them with respect.”
A group of people living in roads surrounding Vaughan Primary School, in The Gardens, are fighting to prevent the construction of a new school building behind their houses.
As part of their battle, five of the residents attended a council meeting on Thursday evening.
They went to ask questions about the plans and to raise their concerns.
However, they feel that the councillors present did not answer their questions, and did not take their concerns seriously.
Rosalyn Neale, who lives in Dorchester Avenue, said: “We didn’t get proper answers.
“We don’t want this built at the bottom of our gardens and we went to the meeting to ask public questions.
“They didn’t answer what was asked – they must know the answers as we submitted the questions in advance so they had time to look into it.
“I think they don’t answer because they know we are right.
“We are not treated with respect. It is not easy to stand up in public and we give up our evenings but they don’t respect us.”
She added: “It’s not right. What can you do to make them give you a proper answer? Surely we are entitled to one.”
Ms Neale, and her neighbours, are fighting the expansion plans as they feel it will spoil the view from their houses, reduce the value of their properties and increase traffic and congestion in the area.
They also argue that the location is not appropriate for a new school building as it would mean more children having to cross dangerous roads.
Ms Neale said: “We have serious safety concerns for the children.
“The school is on a very busy junction and this would create a lot of extra traffic.
“This junction just wasn’t built for this volume of traffic.”
Harrow Council is currently considering plans to build a two-story building on Vaughan Primary School’s playing fields.
The building would house 12 classrooms and two halls and allow the school to accommodate an extra 210 children by September 2018.
The Harrow Times is awaiting a comment from the council.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here