Stamford Hill, London – Chasidic groups have launched a campaign to oppose a plan to build luxury homes on the site of the former Skinners’ School on Stamford Hill. The leaders of Hackney’s orthodox Jewish community have attacked town hall bosses over plans to redevelop the largest school building in Stamford Hill into luxury homes.

Charedi protesters are taking to the streets this week to oppose the transformation of Skinners School for Girls in Stamford Hill into residential properties, rather than an orthodox Jewish school. Letters of support have been sent by Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and Board of Deputies’ president Vivian Wineman.

Developer Berkley Homes wants to convert the current Skinners School site into 62 flats and studios after pupils relocate to the brand new Skinners Academy premises in the Woodberry Down development in September.

But the orthodox Jewish community is up in arms because it says Berkley Homes had originally pledged to keep the site as a school for Stamford Hill pupils, developing it as a new home for Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls School currently in Woodberry Down.

Rabbi Avrahom Pinter, Principal of Yesodey Hatorah Schools in Stamford Hill, is leading a campaign to oppose the Berkeley Homes redevelopment proposals with support from Rabbi Nachman Sudak, trustee of the Lubavitch organisation, and Rabbi Yosef Babad, head of the Belz community and Beth Maleah.

Rabbi Pinter accused the council of depriving the Orthodox community of much-needed facilities.

“The Skinner School site is a unique opportunity for the Charedi community in Stamford Hill to have improved purpose-built educational facilities,” he said.

“The Charedi community represents over 20% of Hackney’s under 16 year olds and many of our existing schools are old fashioned, sub-standard, residential buildings.

“It is an absolute scandal that the educational needs of the fastest growing part of Britain’s Jewish community are being ignored by Hackney Council and the actions are an affront to the local community in Stamford Hill.”

A Hackney Council spokeswoman said: “Planning policy looks to safeguard educational facilities, which will happen in the case of the Skinners’ School, as it is to be re-built as a modern Academy, with expanded facilities and spaces for more students. There has been no agreement that the former site of the Skinners’ School is to be reserved for educational purposes.”

(http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/)