The private school in North London had already failed to increase student numbers twice through planning applications
Plans to convert a former police station into classrooms for an additional 67 students at a North London school has been approved by the council, despite concerns about increased traffic and noise during school run times.
John Lyon School – an independent school in Harrow-on-the-Hill – applied to convert the former police building, which is called Le Beau House and has more recently been used as an office building for school staff, into a classroom for up to 67 sixth-form students. It means the total student capacity will increase from 600 to 667.
The school said the move is essential to its “future sustainability” due to changing student needs and the introduction of VAT on tuition fees. However, opponents to the plans fear it will mean those in the classrooms will be able to see into the adjacent homes, and that increased traffic as a result of the rising student numbers will cause “chaos” on the roads.
As part of the plan, the operating hours of the building will be restricted to between 7am and 5.30pm from Monday to Friday – rather than the 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday that was allowed when it operated as an ancillary office to the school.
Despite concerns about the potential for overlooking due to the building’s clear glazed windows, an officer assessment concluded that there would be “no significant increase”. Transport and noise assessments were also carried out to determine the impact of the changes at school pick-up and drop-off times but they also found there would be “no adverse impact”.
Speaking at the meeting, Ted Allert, a 40-year resident of nearby Middle Road, suggested the application was effectively an attempt “to increase the student role” at the school by 67 pupils – despite previous attempts having failed.
Mr Allert pointed to two previous attempts made by the school over the years to increase the number of pupils allowed, both of which were refused by the council at the time and then dismissed on appeal. He read an inspector’s report from the time that concluded there is “already evidence of hazardous driving” which would pose a risk to driver and pedestrian safety and any further increase would “exacerbate the situation”.
He added: “We now know that there would indeed be more pupils and more traffic, not only in Middle Road. At school home times, West Street will suffer the same sort of chaos that Middle Road does now.
“The school appears to be arguing Le Beau House is somehow outside the John Lyon School. Except I don’t think it does […] they’re quite explicitly asking for a new student cap of 667. That is more than half of what they asked for before, what this council has repeatedly refused and has won in a public inquiry. If this council approves it, the hundreds of thousands of pounds spent successfully defending that 600-pupil cap in two appeals will be thrown down the drain.”
In response, the Bursar at John Lyon School, Nigel Slater, said sixth form education “has changed dramatically” over the past 15 years, with students now needing “university-style learning, digital infrastructure, independent study and collaboration spaces”.
Mr Slater added: “These are not optional requirements, but fundamental to future education and employability. This especially matters in the competitive independent school market after instruction in VAT on tuition fees.
“In 2021, John Lyon became co-educational with girls joining the school, and in 2025, the first girls joined sixth form. This has created a clear need for additional facilities, girls’ toilets, wellbeing spaces, social spaces, and already a very constrained estate as well.
“So expanding our sixth form centre and the senior school pupil numbers and capacity, particularly through Year 12 entry, is central to the school’s educational strategy and its long-term financial sustainability.”
Whilst not unanimous, seven members of the committee voted to approve the plans, with just two opting to abstain.
Chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr Marilyn Ashton, said: “I do accept that previously [..] the intention to increase the pupil numbers was almost certainly unwarranted at that time, unjustifiable in some respects. I think things have changed slightly since then, and in fact, they’ve changed a lot.
“First of all, it’s become […] very different, the way that sixth form education is done nowadays and in the private sector of schools, it’s a competitive market, really. Another thing that’s changed […] is that the private sector of education is finding it quite difficult at the moment. I don’t mean it’s terrible, but since 2025, 100 private schools have shut their doors.
“I personally think this is an acceptable application.”
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