Old Vicarage planning application withdrawn

Campaigners believe a revised application could follow

According to a spokesperson for Hounslow Council, the plans to convert the Old Vicarage on Sutton Lane South into a private day school have been withdrawn.

Larry Miller, a local resident and campaigner against the proposed school said "It's a big relief the application has been withdrawn. I've never seen a community come together this fast to protest a planning application. Over 200 people attended three public meetings in little over a month. People wrote 103 formal objections to the plan. The problem people have is over the choice of site which we feel is totally inappropriate for a school of any size. People were very concerned it would cause gridlock in an already badly congested and dangerous area. In addition, the Old Vicarage is a great old family house, it should stay that way."

He went on to say that "It's always possible that a revised application could be submitted, but the objection is to a school of any kind on that site, and any new application will cause a protest even stronger than the one we've already had."
 

The application for change of usage was submitted by Dynamite Educational Publishers, trading as Tic Toc Day Nursery and Heathfield House School. 

The organisation are looking to develop their day nursery and school provision.  Currently offering day nursery care for children aged three months to five years and schooling for children aged four to seven, their Heathfield Terrace premises are now at capacity. Therefore, the company has been actively seeking further premises over the past year to enable them to offer private schooling for children up to the age of 11. 

Dynamite Educational Publishers remain the only party to make an offer for the Old Vicarage since it has been on the market however, they would only acquire the premises should a planning application to change its use from residential to D1 prove successful. 

October 21, 2005