Has �15 million Stoke Newington school been built in the wrong place?

Hackney Council’s planning officers are investigating the matter after residents flagged up concerns.

Hackney Council’s planning enforcement officers have been called in this week, after it emerged a massive special needs school redevelopment in Stoke Newington may have been built in the wrong place.

Prince George Road residents flagged up concerns over the �15.9 million Building Schools for the Future redevelopment of Horizon School, which they believe is not set far back enough from the pathway.

According to architectural plans the school should be set back four metres to allow room for planting trees in front, but residents say it is more like two metres away.

“They need to think about the future and the people living here, we are going to want the trees,” said resident James McQuat.

“The school’s a monstrosity and we need some kind of barrier between us and this ugly civic building.”

A council spokeswoman said an enforcement case had been set up to investigate the allegations.

“I can confirm that the alleged breach of planning control, that being the building constructed further forward of the approved building line, has been brought to the attention of the local planning authority,” she added.

But contractor McLaren denied there had been a mistake and said there was enough room to plant new trees along Prince George Road.

“We would like to assure you that McLaren have positioned the building correctly in accordance with the approved planning drawings,” said project director David Owen.