Ealing school wants to knock down old classrooms but locals want a ‘break’

A West London school wants to knock down old classrooms but locals aren’t happy at the prospect of more building work. Notting Hill and Ealing High School in West Ealing has applied for permission to knock down its junior school and replace it with a modern school building.

In plans submitted to Ealing Council, the revamped junior school will replace two houses, both over 100 years old, that were converted into school buildings as the school grew. According to documents provided to the council, both buildings suffer from subsidence issues and have problems with drainage.

The girls’ school also said that the buildings are “unsuitable for modern teaching”, with small, cramped classrooms and poor accessibility. The new school building will provide larger classrooms for the kids, with improved accessibility, and a new play area.

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Nevertheless, some local residents are angry at the plan to knock the school buildings down and say they don’t think the new building will suit the area. One resident wrote: “Poorly considered scheme, completely out of character with the St Stephen’s conservation area. Loss of light and disruption to nearby residents. The locals have only just had a bit of respite from the senior school redevelopment. Please give us a break.”

Another local wrote: “Out of keeping architecturally and with the beauty of the surrounding area. Too bulky a design and there is already enough development. Will cause disturbance to surrounding properties and roads significantly.”

A third angry resident wrote: “I am objecting to the planning application for the re-building of the Junior School at Nottinghill & Ealing High School. Currently three very attractive buildings are positioned on that site, and I can see no reason why the exterior of these buildings are not maintained, and the interiors adapted for the school’s requirements.

“All residents in the streets surrounding both the senior and junior schools -Wimborne Gardens, St Stephen’s Road and Edgehill Road have been affected for years over the demolition and construction of buildings and walls on the school grounds, enduring years of dust, dirt, pollution, noise, subsidence and traffic problems.”

While the building works are carried out, students would be taught in a temporary school building that will be built on the school’s playing fields. If planning permission is granted, the new building would take approximately 17 months to build, with construction due to finish by September 2023. NHEHS is part of the Girls’ Day School Trust, a network of private girls’ schools around the country, and is open to pupils aged 4-18. Notting Hill and Ealing High School declined to comment.

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