New 'eyesore' classroom built by Croydon Council in Thornton Heath without planning permission

A temporary classroom is being built in the grounds of St James the Great school in Thornton Heath, ahead of the new school year that starts next week.

Croydon Council said the structure is necessary to ease the pressure on primary school places.

But residents living in Camden Gardens which backs on to the school playground are angry neither the school or the council informed them of the work.

One resident who did not want to be named it should be pulled down and residents given a chance to oppose the application when it is put before the council's planning committee.

She said: "For the last two weeks I have listened to cranes, digging, cement mixers and grinders at the school.

"This is my holiday off work and they have been starting at 6.50am because they are in a rush to get it done before the schools come back.

"If you put something up overnight without permission it has to be taken down, yet no notice has been given to any of us so we couldn't even share our views.

"The headteacher says it is a project by the council and it is out of his hands.

"I have lived here 13 years, the new building is an eyesore I want the work stopped and the building removed."

A spokesman for Croydon Council said a late agreement with the school meant the planning application would be done concurrently with the building work.

He said: "The council has many priorities and a significant one at this time of the year is to ensure that every child due to start school in September has a place.

"In a case like this, where agreement was only reached with the school at a late stage, it was necessary to carry out the planning application process in tandem with construction.

"A thorough pre-application assessment has been carried out in order to minimise the risk of planning problems.

"However the application will be assessed on its merits and determined in due course."

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