Neighbours angry over school expansion

A £1.1 MILLION plan to enlarge Little Common county primary school has angered many families living nearby.

East Sussex County Council is building two new classrooms at the school in Shepherds Close to increase the pupil intake by 70.

It is also building four permanent classrooms to replace three temporary ones, plus a fourth due to open in September.

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The six new classrooms are due to be ready in September 2003, with an enlarged school hall and a new smaller hall.

The additions will mean the pupil capacity at the school will go up from its present 560 to 630.

But some residents say the increase in pupils will cause even more chaos on the roads during the school run.

They say even without the pupil increase roads around the school become a war zone twice a day as parents with cars jostle for parking spaces to pick up or drop off their children.

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At peak hours traffic jams stretch for half a mile in adjoining roads as parents taking and collecting their children from the school clog the streets.

Mrs Liz Patrick, of Church Hill Avenue, said: "It is already almost civil war between parents and residents.

"Church Hill Avenue is often used by parents who park their cars in front of our driveways while they drop off their children. They ignore our requests not to do so.

"Parking in the area is saturated and this increase in classrooms will add to the chaos. We are likely to have at least another 30 or 40 cars at school arrival and turn-out times."

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A spokesman for East Sussex County Council said: "We realise this is a problem, but is a problem other schools share.

"We expect a rise in the number of children to be educated at the school, so need the extra classrooms.

"How parents get their children to school is up to them and we have no say in the matter.

"However, we do urge parents to exercise the utmost care and consideration to all, including residents."

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Dennis and Priscilla Stroud, of Birk Dale, have written to town MP Gregory Barker because they fear an extension will make traffic congestion even worse.

Dennis said: "Feeling here is quite strong on this. At the moment there are 565 pupils and 80 staff. This would put it up to 630 pupils and 85 staff.

"Most people here are up in arms about the parking as it is.

"From about 8.45 until nine in the morning and from 3pm until about 3.30pm this road is chock-a-block - and you now have heavy lorries coming through to avoid the work on the A259.

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"The parents have no consideration. They park across your driveway and block it. They get quite abusive if questioned about it.

"A girl here has put out 250 letters to neighbours and a chap from Shepherds Close has written letters of objection for people to sign."