|
|
 |
| |
Parents target dentists for school
PARENTS want to turn a dental hospital into a new school
in a bid to satisfy the huge demand for secondary school places
for children in the south of the borough.
Families, who last month stormed a Town Hall meeting with demands
for a new school to be built south of the Euston Road, have
targeted the Eastman Dental Hospital in Gray’s Inn Road,
King’s Cross.
The site has moved to the top of their wish list with protesters
hoping that converting the hospital would be cheaper than building
a new school from scratch.
Other sites that have been researched include the Mount Pleasant
Post Office site on the border with Islington and Kingsway College
in Sidmouth Street, King’s Cross.
The Eastman site, however, is emerging as a preferred choice
following a tip-off that it could be made available by its owners,
the University College London Hospital (UCLH). The building
is currently used for specialist dentistry, research and postgraduate
teaching but a well-placed source told the New Journal that
the hospital has considered moving the facility to a site closer
to its main complex in Bloomsbury.
Last night (Wednesday), the hospital failed to respond to requests
for information. Campaign organisers have already made it clear
that the site is amongst the chief targets in an update circulated
to supportive parents.
A statement – posted on the www.whereismyschool.org.uk
lobby site – said: “We have heard that UCLH is planning
to vacate The Eastman Dental Hospital, which would be an excellent
site for a school. It’s big enough, already in public use,
close to Coram’s Fields sports facilities and in the London
Borough of Camden.”
It added: “Emma Jones (one of the campaign’s main
organisers) and Sue Vincent (Labour councillor) have met with
David Monger (Camden’s education department) who confirms
that they have commissioned a site search and are looking at
the feasibility of the Eastman site.” The campaign statement
– signed off by Ms Jones – said: “To buy a site
and build a school could cost up to £50 million, although
converting the Eastman would be much cheaper.”
Protesters have been warned by the council that a rival lobby
group is demanding a new school in Kilburn, where there have
been similar reports of a shortage of places at Camden’s
secondaries.
But Cllr Vincent, who represents Holborn and Covent Garden,
has told parents that the lobby in the south of the borough
has nudged ahead.
In a letter to campaigners, she said: “Well done for putting
the South of Euston Road School campaign firmly on the map.
There are now two other competing campaigns, Kilburn and Hampstead,
but we have a good head start following the deputation to full
council.”
The Town Hall last night (Wednesday) confirmed they are researching
possible sites but would not confirm whether the Eastman site
could be turned into a new school. |
|
|
|
