Andover Place - planning appeal

Last year, we wrote about the planning application made by the Jewish Preparatory School (JPS) on Andover Place to increase its height from 2 to 4 storeys to include 8 new flats for school teachers (see here and here). Although the Council rejected the original application in June 2007, the JPS appealed (as is their right) in early January to the government's Planning Inspectorate to have the decision overturned and to allow them to begin to build.

We received the decision a few days ago and the Planning Inspectorate has decided that JPS should in fact be allowed to increase its height. As local Councillors, we are disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate has chosen to overrule the democratic decision of a local council.

Nonetheless, we have already spoken with Rabbi Levy with regards to the appeal and we hope to help in any way we can to support the fantastic work of the local school and to make sure that the forthcoming building work affects local residents in Kilburn High Road, Andover Place, Dibdin House and Torridon House as little as possible.

We now look forward to working with everyone involved.

Alastair