New JAGS Pre-Prep on East Dulwich Grove

[ed_pete]

JAGS currently house their pre-prep school in the big building on the corner of Dulwich Village and Village Way.  They are proposing to demolish the two houses in East Dulwich Grove (number 152 and 154) that are next to their site and build new premises into which they will move the pre-prep.

Details here, including upcoming exhibition of the proposals on 10th and 11th November.

https://www.jagspre-prepproject.org.uk/proposals

Looks like they haven't formally submitted a planning application yet so I guess this is an exercise in getting the local community on-side and minimising the objections.

The website says that the would plan to turn the existing pre-prep building into residential accommodation, but I would guess that this would something they not have a hand in and would be the subject of a separate planning application.

My personal view is that I don't really have an issue with this but I do wish they would not make arguments like:

"Putting unused buildings to better use
Deliver a new Pre-Prep facility consisting of two buildings on land that is currently owned by JAGS and is occupied by unused 1960s housing."

Well the houses are only empty because they haven't been marketed at a realistic price.  Fundamentally there's nothing wrong with them. Mid century modern is all the rage.

"Attractive buildings fit for their surroundings
Deliver attractive buildings that are in-keeping with this part of the Dulwich Village Conservation Area."
Hmm. Not sure that was the brief with the theatre they built 100 metres away a few years ago.  It's architectural style is not exactly "in-keeping". I have no problem with a mix of styles though so to be honest I would rather see something adventurous than a pastiche.

Green credentials - I appreciate the strong emphasis on minimising carbon output but that's hardly helped by artificial grass in the play area.

 

[malumbu]

Nothing to do with the planning permission but what is a pre-prep?  Assume it is a nursery but seems an odd term to me!  As regards to minimising  carbon I'd be interested on reducing the number of parents who drive their children to school.  I love the mega kiddy buggies that some child minders use! 

[Poppy2017]

More traffic on EDG???

[OutOfFocus]

Prep and pre-prep school are part of private school system

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preparatory_school_%28United_Kingdom%29?wprov=sfla1

 

[heartblock]

ED Grove really cannot accommodate more traffic and the crazy parking of parents/guardians dropping off children -there is already a mega-nursery about to open. ED Grove is already the busiest 'school road' in the area.

[tomskip]

What is the unused 1960s housing - where is it specifically? Any street views? 

[heartblock]

Near the Village end of ED Grove, if you walk down on the JAGs side you will see them....it’s shameful that with the local housing crisis these huge homes have been left empty. 

[ed_pete]

14 hours ago, heartblock said:

ED Grove really cannot accommodate more traffic and the crazy parking of parents/guardians dropping off children -there is already a mega-nursery about to open. ED Grove is already the busiest 'school road' in the area.

I'm not sure that this would really increase the traffic as those driving are already in the area as they're going to the existing pre-prep.

53 minutes ago, heartblock said:

Near the Village end of ED Grove, if you walk down on the JAGs side you will see them....it’s shameful that with the local housing crisis these huge homes have been left empty. 

These ones.

[Kathleen Olander]

59 minutes ago, heartblock said:

Near the Village end of ED Grove, if you walk down on the JAGs side you will see them....it’s shameful that with the local housing crisis these huge homes have been left empty. 

The house nearest the school has been owned by JAGS for years and the previous Head and her family lived in it.

The other house was owned by Tony who used to have the small newspaper kiosk near Kings College Hospital.  When he died JAGS purchased it at well over market price, I am guessing because they had the new build in mind, and it has remained empty ever since.

It would have been nice if they could have remained residential, they are great Mid-century family homes.

[vladi]

The two houses look like  60's or '70's build and are totally  out of character with the other houses on EDG. 
I would not object to JAGS demolishing them and then building a pre-prep facility in the style of the neighbouring houses.

[tiddles]

I really like those style of houses

[ed_pete]

26 minutes ago, vladi said:

The two houses look like  60's or '70's build and are totally  out of character with the other houses on EDG. 
I would not object to JAGS demolishing them and then building a pre-prep facility in the style of the neighbouring houses.

A. What's wrong with a bit of architectural diversity? 

B. The houses on the other side of the road vary a fair bit in style from the Village to Townley. 

C. The proposed building is considerably more substantial and imposing than the current houses. 

[OutOfFocus]

On 30/10/2023 at 10:30, ed_pete said:

I'm not sure that this would really increase the traffic as those driving are already in the area as they're going to the existing pre-prep.

Unless the new building can allow more pupils. Just asking 

[malumbu]

If they are true about cutting carbon they need to cut journeys to school including their own staff....

[Nigello]

At least JAGS uses the portable bollards it has to stop illegal and hazardous parking. Goodrich could do the same but chooses not to (even though the bollards are very likely to have been bought with public money)…

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Nigello, you could volunteer as bollard monitor at Goodrich.