School closed over safety

A STAMFORD Hill Orthodox school was forced to close after Hackney Council said it had failed to obtain planning permission and address safety concerns.

A council spokesman said the first temporary stop notice had been issued to Talmud Torah London School (TTL) in October because the school was unauthorised.

It failed to win a subsequent judiciary review, with the judge citing the breaches as “blatant and serious.” A second, permanent notice was issued after the school failed to comply with the council’s demands.

Aled Richards, Director of Public Realm for Hackney, said that the building had no planning permission. “The council understands the impact it has had on those children who were intending to attend this unauthorised school.

“However the council cannot be held responsible for this situation as it has arisen due to a blatant and serious breach in planning control.” Concerns included the lack of an acceptable fire escape.

TTL is an independent primary school for 38 boys aged five to nine, according to a January 2019 Ofsted report.

It moved into the disputed Lordship Park facility in June after outgrowing its Clapton premises, said Stamford Hill West Conservative councillor Aron Klein. He claimed council representatives had assured school leadership the building would be fit for its use.

In a letter to Mr Richards, he said: “They moved into the building, then somehow the council decided the building was unsafe.

“I feel this was only thought about because of neighbours’ complaints, which I feel are unfair during working hours.

“Please can our kids go back to school? The children are missing out on hours and days of learning.”

Mr Klein said the school was prepared to address noise complaints from neighbours and claimed that Ofsted had visited the new premises and deemed the building safe. Ofsted told the Hackney Citizen newspaper that a recent visit addressed educational and safeguarding plans but it was not responsible for regulating buildings.

Joel Stern, who is representing TTL, said the school plans to appeal the permanent decision in court.

Mr Richards said: “Given the seriousness of the breach in planning control I am confident that there is little prospect of success to any such appeal.”