An angry public meeting heard that a private school's expansion plans will bring "disaster" to a historic village centre.
Senior staff at Highgate School attended a 'Have Your Say' meeting on June 8 to hear concerns from the community about its ambitious expansion plans.
Locals filled St Michael's CofE Primary School's hall for the event, hosted by the Highgate Society and chaired by Hornsey & Wood Green MP Catherine West.
Many feared damage to Highgate Village, its streets, homes, wildlife, heritage - and even pupils' education.
Jeff Salmon, chair of Pond Square Residents Association, told the meeting that he "guessed less than 5% of teachers and parents live in Highgate".
"Highgate has its own village," he said. "I can't imagine any other village in London or England or Britain being told that a school has a 10-year plan to cause disruption to its village. I can't see it happening. There must be other ways if you want to expand."
He said that the school's management would "undermine the education of children" on its site for a decade.
He said the children "will suffer in a number of ways" including pollution, dust and noise "all of which will be adjacent to the site".
"If I had a child I wouldn't want them in this school if this was going on," he said.
The proposals include the redevelopment of Dyne House in Southwood Lane to accommodate the increased interest in music and enhance sixth form provision.
The Richards Music Centre in Bishopswood Road will house the school’s drama facilities to create more opportunities for its pupils.
The school says Mallinson Sports Centre in Bishopswood Road requires full redevelopment to continue providing high-quality sporting facilities.
Parent Simon Blendiss said he felt "very conflicted" because his son loved the school.
"We can all agree some of the school needs to be updated," he added.
He said his home was metres from the science block and that he expected "lots of vibration" and that "cracks will appear" in his home.
"If that's happening to my house, that's also what's happening to the science block," he added.
He said the plans would bring a "disaster" to the local community and to pupils, who would be subjected to noise and other issues.
He added: "Find out what the real needs are and build up from there so we end up with what the school needs, not this vanity project."
Another woman mentioned a cracked sewer at the top of Jackson's Lane. She said: "There are frequent problems along this stretch of road and you are really going to send 4,000 lorries a day or whatever along that? It's preposterous."
Southwood Lane Residents Association chair Delva Patman said considerations in construction management plans will be up to the developers' planning teams.
She said: "That's not good enough. It should be up to the school and Haringey Council that what is proposed is feasible and practical. At the moment there's no impact information."
Alicia Pivaro, chair of Highgate Neighbourhood Forum, said Haringey Council had to be "really brave" and "say no to this large ambitious plan".
She cited the Murphy's Yard regeneration plan in Gospel Oak where "Camden Council told them to go back to the drawing board".
William Britain, chair of the Highgate Society, said he "hoped the school will do the best it can", and help circulate the issues raised to Haringey Council's planning department.
"We have to look forward to taking this forward over the next few months," he added.
Highgate School headteacher Adam Pettitt thanked all who attended, saying the school would take ideas "very seriously" and that it had listened to what people had said.
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