A headteacher who is to begin leasing his school sports hall to clubs and societies has sought to reassure concerned neighbours that it will not be “run as a leisure centre”.

Emlyn Lumley, of Park High School in Thistlecroft Gardens, Stanmore, needs the management plan for the facility to be signed off by Harrow Council before any bookings can be taken and said the academy would operate rentals in a considerate way.

The hall, which has a dance studio above, will be available for hire for an initial three years between 6pm and 10pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm at weekends although not on Bank Holidays, public holidays and school open evenings.

Mr Lumley said: “It's not our intention to run this facility as a leisure centre which is the way in which some of the local residents seem to have imagined was going to be the case.

“Rather, we're expecting to be letting the hall to clubs and societies that are properly run themselves.

“We will not accept the occasional ‘Can we rent a court?’ walk-in kind of enquiry.”

Park High School in Thistlecroft Gardens, Stanmore
Park High School in Thistlecroft Gardens, Stanmore

The school has imposed a limit of 40 sports hall visitors and will instruct them to park only in the school car park and observe an unofficial one-way system.

The hall was built in 1996 on neighbouring Centenary Park land with an agreement it would be available to the public but after outcry from councillors and locals a school-only usage restriction was imposed.

Harrow Council’s planning committee refused permission in October 2013 to relax the restriction, Mr Lumley appealed and planning inspector Chris Hoult overturned the authority’s decision on July 30.

Mr Lumley said: “We have sought to restore it to its original planning status.

“Our community needs this facility.

“We’re a nub for Middlesex Cricket Club and have have had contact with Badminton England.”

There will be occasions when the sports hall and the school hall are leased at the same time but Mr Lumley said this would be rare, and there will be supervision at all times there is a booking.

Belmont ward councillor Manji Kara (Conservative), who lobbied with the Centenary Park Action Group against the school's plans, said: "I'm unconvinced.

"At the moment there is a big traffic issue in the mornings and the school actually has a system in place, and nobody observes it or enforces it.

"What choice do residents have?"