Councillors in Tower Hamlets have refused a bid to alter the teaching hours at Canary Wharf College Glenworth Primary School, citing concerns over significant planning impacts.
The Development Committee voted unanimously against the proposed change to condition 19 of the school's planning permission, which would have shifted the school day earlier. The original condition, imposed in 2015, aimed to stagger the school's hours with neighbouring St Luke's Primary School to prevent traffic congestion and protect residential amenity.
The school had applied for a non-material amendment to start lessons no later than 8:15 am (previously 8:30 am) and finish no later than 3:00 pm (previously 3:55 pm). The current staggered schedule has Canary Wharf College Glenworth Primary School starting no later than 8:30 am and finishing no earlier than 3:55 pm, while St Luke's Primary School starts at 9:00 am and finishes at 3:30 pm. This results in a 30-minute gap between the start times and a 25-minute gap between the finish times. The proposed new schedule would increase the gap between the start times to 45 minutes and the finish times to 30 minutes.
While officers recommended granting the amendment, arguing the increased stagger would still meet the original condition's intent, councillors disagreed. They believed the proposed changes were material and would lead to adverse effects on residential amenity and a cumulative impact on traffic congestion and highway safety, particularly in relation to other nearby schools.
Objectors, including residents and local councillors, argued the proposed changes were material and would lead to increased congestion, unsafe parking, noise, and disturbance. Concerns were also raised about the adequacy of the submitted transport statement and the cumulative impact on surrounding schools, including George Green's Secondary School.
Objectors raised concerns that the submitted Transport Statement was flawed, describing it as a 'single day' car journey snapshot that was insufficient. They noted it was missing information on pedestrian crowding and routes, public transport nodes, active travel, and the cumulative impact of George Green's school. Furthermore, they argued the statement was outdated, not factoring in population and pupil number increases in the Isle of Dogs and relying on 2012/2015 data. One objector stated, The statement doesn't mention this at all. The statement doesn't take any consideration for staff, who are very important in the case, who also use the transport links in the most congested periods of the day.
Councillor Marc Francis, who chaired the Development Committee in 2015 when the original permission was granted, stated that the stringent conditions were put in place for a reason and that altering them was not the right approach. I think it has to be done differently,
he commented. Councillor Francis suggested that the issue of changing the school's planning conditions has to be done differently,
implying that this matter should be negotiated outside of the planning committee process and then potentially ratified. He also encouraged all parties to go away and have further conversations, including doing the, um, uh, traffic management, um, uh, study that, um, has been recommended by Councillor Buster.
Councillor Amin Rahman echoed these sentiments, stating, I feel like it's not a minor change, Chair. So, for me, it's quite of a major change.
Councillor Shafi Ahmed added that the safety and well-being of students, parents, and residents are paramount.
Beyond general noise and disturbance, councillors were concerned about the cumulative effect of the changes on traffic congestion and highway safety. Councillor Francis noted, The proposed change raises concern around children's safety and the potential impact on traffic density. The increase in traffic density could create a more hazardous environment, particularly during peak times when students are arriving at and leaving school.
The councillors were referring to the cumulative impact on traffic congestion and highway safety arising from the proposed changes to the school hours, in conjunction with the existing traffic conditions and the schedules of other nearby schools. Objectors highlighted that the proposed 3:00 pm finish time for Canary Wharf College Glenworth Primary School would overlap with St Luke's Primary School (finishing at 3:30 pm) and George Green's Secondary School (finishing at 3:10 pm). One objector stated, This affects three schools directly. It will affect also the schools next to it, St. Luke's, George Green, and all the other neighboring schools. And it will also affect the proposed secondary school, which is supposed to go in at Printworks.
Ultimately, the committee voted to refuse the application, considering the changes to be material and citing adverse effects on residential amenity and the cumulative impact on traffic congestion and highway safety, particularly in relation to other nearby schools.
