The construction of a new secondary school has been confirmed by councillors in the biggest step forward yet for Harrow Council’s expansion programme.
Whitefriars Primary School, in Whitefriars Avenue, Wealdstone, can now begin building works that would make it an all-through school, catering for pupils from the age of five to 18 and more than 700 extra pupils.
Councillors unanimously approved the plans on Wednesday (September 3) at a planning committee meeting.
Speaking before the vote, Councillor Sachin Shah (Labour) said: “It is important to note that what we have before us is a huge, expansive project, and yet the only correspondence we have had from our residents has been positive.
“As we know, with big projects that is not common, and it speaks volumes of the hard work done by those involved in the planning and consultation process for Whitefriars.”
The school, which is in a federation with Heathland School in Eastcote Lane, Harrow, will now expand as a part of the council’s £75million, government-funded project which seeks to increase the amount of school places available in the borough to combat projected demographic growth.
Construction begins for the new two and three-storey building, sporting facilities and car park next month, with the school providing regular updates and time lapse photography on its website so parents can follow all the progress online.
The meeting also saw two other schools have their planning applications for expansion approved, including Earlsmead Primary School in Arundel Drive, South Harrow which will now build the facilities to educate 416 pupils, and West Lodge Primary School, in West End Lane, Pinner, which is to educate 18 more pupils including children with special educational needs.
