For some time we’ve had a serious shortage of nursery  school places in East Dulwich and more widely across Southwark.

Fortunately some relief was announced yesterday. An application 12-AP-3844 to convert the St.Thomas More on Lordship Lane into a ground floor nursery and 1st floor community space was granted planning permission. This should lead to 40-70 nursery places depending on the age and exact final configuration.

A second planning application 12-AP-1767 to convert the former Dulwich area council housing office into a ground floor nursery – Crown House, 41-43 East Dulwich Road – was submitted. The council rejected this scheme due to the loss of office space. The applicant has appealed and my colleagues and I have written in support of this appeal. This scheme would provide up to 120 nursery places. Such spaces would do more to support employment not just in terms of the 20 direct jobs but in terms of enabling parents to go to work.

These two schemes together would go some considerable way to resolving nursery places shortages in our area.

Fingers crossed for the appeal. Hopefully the St.Thomas Moore conversion wont take long.