What appears to be the last public consultation meetong on the future of Islamia Primary School takes place tomorrow, Wednesday 9th November at Preston Park Primary School, College Road, Wembley. HA9 8RJ. (Nearest tube Preston Road on the Metropolitan Line).
So far the only option offered has been move to Strathcona Road site in Preston ward or close. The consultation closes on November 16th. You can comment on the Brent Council Have Your Say site HERE.
Here are a selection of the comments so far. Publication here does not represent approval of the content but it is important for everyone to know what is being said.
Strongly Oppose the relocation to this site
The site is most definitely not
suitable for the school (any type of school for that matter).
The road itself is very narrow
and Carlton avenue is already a very busy road. As many have mentioned the
students of this school are not located in the local area and therefore
probably won’t use public transportation. That means their parents will drive
them in. Adding to traffic and local pollution. Wasn’t this the reason those
ridiculous LTNs were installed.
Many of the students parents
don’t even want the school relocated to this site and even started a petition.
Brent council don’t seem to have
the local residents in mind when proposing such ideas. It is already an over
populated area where resources are being maxed out.
Again I’d like to express how
strongly I oppose this school moving to this site.
HA9 doesn't not need or want this school
Reasons relocating the school to
HA9 / Strathcona is a totally unsuitable:
- Already excellent and undersubscribed primary
schools in very close proximity
- Strathcona Road is extremely narrow and too
small to accommodate the influx of extra traffic, leading to my next
point..
- Original site of the school is the other side
of the borough, 6 miles and 30 mins drive away.
- It's sheer hypocrisy for Brent Council to have
inflicted the disastrous LTN system upon HA9 - apparently because we have
so much local traffic - but then to also want to site a new, unnecessary
unwanted school right in the same area.
- Unfeasible that many young children will be
able to use public transport assuming they live near the Queens Park site:
it is 30-45 minutes away by train or over 1 hour by bus.
- Many of the school's own parents / pupils
don't want to be relocated to such a distant site, see petition at: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=236&RPID=0&HPID=0
- Lastly but importantly, I don't believe it's
right for any school to segregate itself by any religion. Why in a modern
society should we want our children to not be taught equality and
multiculturalism?
School at Strathcona site
We do not need another school at this site.
There are already 3 schools in an around the area and it gets extremely busy in
the school peak hours. Residents of the area are extremely unhappy with this
proposal because this will create additional traffic, congestion and noise and
air pollution.
This site is on the narrow road with parking
on both sides of the road. The bus route 223 also operates through this narrow
road. If you have to pass through in the school pick up and drop off times,
travelling through this road is a nightmare. People are parking everywhere,
hooting and not following the traffic rules and no common sense prevails
whatsoever.
I strongly object to the school at this site
due to all the above issues.
Disgraceful and islamaphobic
You have 1 faith based Islamic school and at
a time where far right anti-Islamic sentiment is rife instead of continuing to
be the “most diverse and inclusive” borough in London you choose to spit in the
face of the Muslim population of Brent this is outrageous.
Not suitable to site a new school in
Strathcona road
The area has three schools adjacent to this
site already. Traffic is already gridlocked by these schools, residents will be
blocked in as there is only one way in and out of this site.
Proposed change of location of Islamic
primary school
I strongly oppose this change. I live very
close to the area . Firstly no local residents have been informed of this , I
got a leaflet drop today (04/11) telling me the consultation period is 28/09/22
to 19/11/22 & a consultation meeting will be held on 09/11/22. This is an
event day area, Brent council ignored the residents on this issue so parking is
an absolute nightmare in the area. This is a residential area with one bus
route that is always delayed as you can only get one car on the roads due to
heavy traffic and full capacity cars constantly parked . Most of the primary
schools in the area old & new have been extended and are now
undersubscribed . The proposed area is on an industrial estate not suitable for
young children but we just cannot cope with the volume of current traffic or
non availability of parking in this area. It’s madness that parents with young
children have to travel from NW6 to South Kenton . Is there another agenda to
close that school for developers to build flats to make lots of money . Not one
local resident was aware of this proposal until recently . I object to this and
hope Brent planners don’t approve it. I’ve also heard it’s a done deal . If
this is the case it’s illegal without proper consultation.
Another school is not needed here
– will undoubtedly cause more severe traffic.
This school has no link to this area and does
not belong here. It will only serve to exacerbate the existing terrible traffic
issues that residents like myself currently have to suffer during school
drop-off and pick-up times on Carlton Avenue East and surrounding roads.
I have witnessed and taken photos of illegal
parking, blocking of drives, driving on pavements etc. which were shared with
the council. We have only just recovered from the ill-considered LTN schemes
and now Brent Council is looking to foist this new silly proposal on long
suffering local residents, which will actually increase traffic further! This
will only lead to increased risks for residents, road users and pedestrians,
including school children. Residents' considerations need to be first and
foremost, as we will have to live with the consequences of yet another scheme
serving outside interests.
There is already enough school provision in
the area, and any further requirement should be met through existing schools
and serve the entire community, rather than any specific group. Moreover,
Strathcona Road is certainly not an appropriate location, and option 1 should
be firmly rejected. Of the available options, I support option 2 – if this
school continues, it should be somewhere closer to its current location, where
the above issues do not exist and local links are already present.
Too many schools in close proximity
I do not agree with the proposal, there are
already 2 other schools in close proximity to the location proposed. These are
Byron court primary and Preston park primary. There are extreme challenges at
present with parking and traffic and the introduction of another school, will
add to what is already a huge problem. The increase in cars will add to
traffic, pollution, noise in our area.
I would suggest an alternative location be
found for the school.
I do hope this proposal is shared with the
neighbourhood and proper consultation and feedback gathered before proceeding.
I urge you to write to each household in the area and seek proper feedback
before proceeding with what I would refer is a poor proposal with sub standard
options.
Remove this school and other faith based
schools
Ever since Brexit secular schools have less
students than they have the capacity for. Faith based schools should be reduced
as much as possible and those students integrated into the secular schools that
now have space. It is important for children to experience as much diversity as
possible from a young age.
We don't need another school
This area cannot cope with another school.
Strathcona Road is very narrow and cannot cope with the traffic. The traffic
during school times on Carlton Avenue East is terrible with people illegally
parking, blocking drives, driving on pavements, numerous accidents have
happened etc. It is dangerous.
When Roe Green Strathcona was closed, extra
school places were allocated to surrounding schools. Most schools in the local
area are not fully subscribed so we do not need yet another school in the area
especially one where most kids will be needed to be dropped off by car.
Brent Council was intent on low traffic
neighbourhoods and this proposal is any thing but low traffic.
Why was Roe Green Strathcona forced to close?
why are all those reasons not valid anymore? Stop being so two faced Brent
Council
I vote for Option 2. The options presented
are terrible by the way. How can it be either close the school or relocate to
where no one wants it! has brent council seriously considered alternatives???
Will Brent Council reopen the road that leads
to East Lane instead of a private gate for a privileged few?
Relocate Islamia Primary School to Wembley
I think relocating the Islamia Primary School
to Wembley is a great idea! Wembley is already a very multicultural area and
the addition of this school will further encourage that multicultural
tradition. We proudly have other faith schools such as Catholic and Jewish
schools in our local areas and I think the addition of an Islamic school will
reflect even more so the diversity we are so proud of.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
It’s really saddening that the Council, the
Governing Body and the Foundation have all agreed on either moving 6 miles away
or ceast to exist. No other options are given. How is this acceptable? The
Council must and can do better!
