The fight to prevent a new school being built on a park in Brentford has stepped up a gear.
Floreat Brentford would eventually take over just under half of Brent Lea Recreation Ground, next to Syon Park, under plans announced in February.
The primary free school, which is due to open this September, has already applied to create two temporary buildings beside the existing hard play courts while its permanent home is being constructed.
A petition has been started to prevent the park, and other green spaces in the borough where schools are planned, from being built upon.
Now residents have joined forces with local Green Party members and Friends of the Earth activists and mobilised to save the park in its entirety. They plan to launch their campaign by handing out leaflets from a stall at this Sunday’s (May 17) Brentford Market.
Joanna Russell, who lives on the Brent Lea estate next to the rec, said: “There’s a really strong feeling that amenity space in Brentford is disappearing at an alarming rate.
“This is a really important public green space in an area where there’s very little left due to all the building that’s taken place.
“It’s used by dog walkers, by children, for sport, and it’s a very social place people of all ages meet. It’s been underfunded for years but a little money could get it looking fantastic again.”
She added that the land was provided back in the '60s to compensate for the loss of open space on The Ham estate nearby when that was built upon.
The recreation ground in London Road is classified as protected Metropolitan Open Land, meaning it can only be built on in ‘very special circumstances’.
But the school’s founders say the demand for primary school places in Brentford, where a shortfall of 103 places per year is currently forecast for 2025/26, meets those circumstances.
Should the school be built, Hounslow Council says it would use the rent to improve the remainder of the site, with residents invited to have their say on what new facilities they want.
The school will have 420 pupils when it reaches capacity. There would be no car parking spaces on site if it is built on the rec, and pupils and visitors would be expected to use the existing entrance.
Jack Butcher, who lives on Brent Lea estate and has two young children, said he was not convinced of the need for a new primary school in the area.
“I would contend the assertion there’s a demand, and any future shortfall could be addressed by expanding Marlborough Primary School or other existing schools,” he said.
“The council had designated brownfield sites like the old police station as possible locations for new schools so why aren’t any of those suitable?”
Floreat Brentford’s temporary planning application is expected to go before councillors in July. If it is approved, a permanent application is likely to follow before the end of the year.
