I have read the planning application and council meetings diaries etc. I can see that the owners of the nursery were already doing a sort of business before, involving children ie. music teaching, but on a very small scale. The application was to change the character of the activity to a nursery one.
The Travel Plans presented to the Council in November last year, had listed only 5 children from adjacent roads. The rest were coming from the East Dulwich area (southwark council) and other roads down the valley, where highly professional people now live. Two members of staff only were from Liphook Crescent. There were concerns for traffic etc. because the house is in a very sharp bend.
Some councillor expressed concern that there was not an immediate need of the facility in the nearby area. During the various meetings two councillors abstained and 1 voted against it (total 7). As fees are not cheap, I wonder if this nursery is serving the needs of the noveau riches and the privileged, rather than every child in need of pre-school education living in the area.
The list of objectors mentioned not just the resident living opposite no. 5 Liphook Crescent, but almost everybody in Liphook Crescent and roads nearby.
What also concerns me (looking also to other planning applications in the Forest Hill Area) is that Lewisham Council is disregarding any objection received on the matters. Despite receiving 27 objections, in this case they approved the plan. Why asking people to express their opinion if they intended to approve it anyway?
However from the TLRA leaflet I have seen, no one has asked the owners to close the nursery. If they intend to proceed with their activity at Liphook Crescent, they need to present another application. In my opinion, the Elm, which is not very far, is the ideal place to resolve the matter. Instead of 24 children, it may even accommodate more.