Pollution fears could scupper college plan

Ken Livingstone has threatened to scupper plans for a £25 million city academy because he fears its location could poison pupils.

The Mayor claims the school - to be built only yards from the A40 - could be illegal because of high levels of pollution.

Studies of the area revealed higher than permitted concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and airborne particulates, which can cause serious health problems.

As a result, Mr Livingstone has warned that he may order Westminster council to refuse planning permission for the school - known as Westminster Academy.

The council plans to build the academy - which was heralded as one of Tony Blair's trailblazing new schools designed to boost pupil achievement - on land beside Harrow Road.

It is one of two new academies designed to replace the struggling North Westminster Community School (NWCS) and is being built with a £2 million donation from property company Chelsfield plc.

But an environmental study prepared by the academy's backers admitted that "air quality will be poor with concentrations of pollutants considerably above objective levels".

It warned of "adverse health impacts" to children and asthma sufferers if they breathe unfilteredair drawn into the school building. As a result, Mr Livingstone said he had "serious reservations" about the proposed location as air-quality targets were exceeded "by a wide margin".

While backing the new academy in principle, he said it would be "far more suitable" to seek an alternative location.

But Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the council's opposition Labour group, blamed the dispute on a "misunderstanding" of information by mayoral advisers.

He said the new schools - backed by ?50 million of Government funds - would provide a huge boost to education in one of London's most deprived areas.

Mr Dimoldenberg said: "We believe the new academies will transform educational opportunities for young people in Westbourne Grove and Paddington. We are satisfied that environmental issues have been dealt with properly."

Both new schools are expected to open in September 2006.