As Chairman of the Tewkesbury Lodge Estate Residents’ Association, I am correcting some of the misunderstandings and sometimes misleading comments posted regarding Piplings Nursery.

The Association is not the party taking legal action, nor is it in any way financially supporting the case against the nursery. The Association is, however, taking an interest in the outcome of the proceedings, given the far-reaching and longer term impact on the overall character of the neighbourhood. The quiet and residential nature of the Estate is something which, throughout its existence, we have consistently campaigned to maintain for the benefit of all residents.

Our position with respect to this issue has been consistent throughout. When the planning application for a nursery to accommodate 24 children was submitted to Lewisham Council, they received 27 letters of objection from residents opposing the granting of planning permission along with a petition of 44 names, mostly from neighbours directly affected by the application. Only 1 letter of support was sent from someone who lives outside of the Estate. Therefore, based on this evidence, the Association believed that it had a clear remit to oppose the application. However, planning permission was granted in spite of clear local opposition. The activities of this business (so far as we are aware, the first of its kind on the Estate to require planning permission) has since resulted in the Association receiving numerous complaints on the unacceptable level of nuisance and disruption to neighbours. Acquiescence to this business could be used as justification to open other, even more disruptive businesses on this otherwise exclusively residential Estate. This would clearly be detrimental to all of the Estate’s residents.

Finally, it should be noted that there is currently no injunction awarded by the courts to force the closure of the nursery. It appears a decision has been made by the nursery’s management and was recently announced verbally to parents of children at the nursery. The implementation of such a decision is a matter between the proprietors and their clients.