I was one of the local residents who eventually received the anonymous letter referred to in your article 'Islamic School Outrage' published on October 31 regarding the proposed development at Darul Uloom School in Chisle-hurst.

I cannot comment on whether it should be allowed to proceed, as I have not yet seen the plans, but I do feel that if Green Belt or Conservation Area mean anything at all then at the very least there should be a proper opportunity for debate and consultation before anything is done.

I and many other local residents would have known nothing about this proposed development had it not been for that letter, which I did not see until after the council had already considered a report by officers, allegedly rec-ommending that the plans be passed. Just what steps Bromley Council or the School took to make sure that those residents were fully informed I cannot say, but I heard nothing from either source. When I telephoned the Council for information I was told to go to the council's offices in Bromley during office hours to see the plans. How are working people supposed to do that? I have written to the Chief Planner asking for full information, but I have received back a standard reply with little detail, ignoring my specific questions, and offering the excuse that ' we cannot answer all correspondence individually'.

The anonymous letter I received refers to a 2000 name petition in support of the development. What I would like to know is whether or not these 2000 people live in Chislehurst. The Council have ignored my question on that and other points.

If the school staff are saddened by the reaction of local people, maybe they should have been more communicative about their intentions by holding public meetings to explain what it is that they are proposing. They can hardly complain about not being treated as having been integrated into the Chislehurst community if they ignore that community, and try to slip through what must inevitably be a controversial application, seeking, as it apparently does, massive development in a conservation area on green belt land.

My own feeling is that the whole thing should be put on ice until proper local consultation has taken place.

K Giles

Address Supplied

November 23, 2001 15:47