The Hackney Council Planning Sub-Committee is scheduled to convene on Wednesday 29 July 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on two significant planning applications: one concerning the Beis Malka Girls School and another regarding a property at 25 Amhurst Park. Additionally, the committee will review delegated decisions.

Beis Malka Girls School, 93 Alkham Road, Hackney, London, N16 6XD

The committee is scheduled to consider a proposal for the Beis Malka Girls School located at 93 Alkham Road, Hackney, London, N16 6XD, within the Cazenove Ward. The report pack indicates that the proposal involves the demolition of existing school buildings and the construction of a new part single-storey, part four-storey school building with a basement hall and rooftop play area. It also includes the refurbishment and extension of an existing school building to provide administrative offices and a playgroup. The recommendation summary suggests granting conditional planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement.

The report details extensive analysis of the proposal, covering site context, conservation implications, and relevant planning history. It notes that the site is adjacent to two locally listed buildings: the Talmud Torah Chaim Meirim Wiznitz School at 26 Lampard Grove and a three-storey Victorian house at 28 Lampard Grove. The proposal aims to address an identified need for additional school places in the Stamford Hill area, with the current school premises being insufficient for the increasing number of students. The report also addresses numerous objections received from neighbours concerning design, noise, traffic, neighbour amenity, and potential subsidence. Officers' responses indicate that many of these concerns have been addressed through design revisions and proposed conditions.

The assessment section delves into various planning considerations, including the creation of a new school, conservation and heritage impacts, design quality, archaeology, neighbour amenity, highways and transport, waste and recycling, green infrastructure and biodiversity, sustainability, flood risk, and crime and fire safety. The report highlights that the proposed development would provide a total of 4,930sqm of education floorspace for an all-age school accommodating up to 400 pupils and approximately 30 staff. It also notes the importance of addressing the growing school-age population in Stamford Hill.

The report details extensive consultation responses from internal departments such as Contamination, Environmental Protection, Flooding, Noise, Traffic and Transportation, and Waste, as well as external bodies like GLAAS, Health & Safety Executive, London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police, and Thames Water. It outlines relevant policies from the London Plan (2021), LBH Local Plan 2033 (2020), and National Planning Policies. The assessment concludes that, on balance, the benefits of the proposal are substantial, providing much-needed educational improvements. While acknowledging potential increases in noise pollution from the rooftop playground, the scheme is considered to have been sensitively designed to minimise impact on neighbours. The report recommends granting planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement.

25 Amhurst Park, Hackney, London, N16 5DJ

The committee is also scheduled to consider the application for 25 Amhurst Park, Hackney, London, N16 5DJ, in the Woodberry Down Ward. The proposal involves the use of the ground and part-first floors as a synagogue (Use Class F1(f)), along with the erection of a part single-storey side and rear wrap-around extension and a part two-storey rear extension. Associated elevational changes and the installation of PV panels are also part of the proposal. The recommendation summary indicates granting planning permission, subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement.

This application is referred to the committee due to a substantial level of objections received. The report details a relevant planning history, including a previous refusal for a similar development under application ref: 2024/0666, which was subsequently dismissed at appeal. The reasons for the previous refusal included the unjustified loss of housing, unacceptable design, impact on neighbouring amenity (enclosure, noise, and disturbance), and adverse impacts on street parking and highway safety. The current proposal seeks to address these previous concerns by reducing the scale of the rear extension, omitting the basement excavation, and relocating the women's entrance to increase separation from neighbouring properties.

The report assesses the principle of development, considering the loss of housing against the need for community infrastructure. An Alternative Sites Assessment has been submitted to justify the loss of residential units, arguing that there are no suitable non-residential alternatives within the congregation's strict walking catchment area. The proposal is supported by policies in the Hackney Local Plan 2033 and the draft Stamford Hill Area Action Plan, which support the development of religious facilities.

The design and character section discusses the impact of the proposed extensions on the late Victorian villa and the surrounding street scene. The scale and bulk of the extensions have been reduced compared to the previous scheme, with a focus on minimising visual impact and preventing an undue sense of enclosure. The report also addresses residential amenity, considering impacts on daylight, sunlight, outlook, privacy, noise, and disturbance. The relocation of the women's entrance and the reduction in the capacity of the women's gallery are noted as measures to mitigate noise and disturbance.

Access and transport considerations are also detailed, including pedestrian and vehicular access, car parking (with a commitment to a car-free development except for disabled parking), cycle parking, and the requirement for a Travel Plan and Construction Management Plan. The report also covers waste management, biodiversity enhancements (including swift nestboxes and a hedgehog highway), sustainability measures (addressing overheating and carbon emissions), and flood risk. The conclusion is that the proposed development, on balance, complies with relevant policies and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions and a legal agreement.

Delegated Decisions

The committee will also review a list of delegated decisions. These are planning applications that have been determined by council officers under delegated powers, meaning they did not require a full committee hearing. The report pack includes a table listing these decisions, detailing the application reference, location, application type, development description, ward, officer name, decision date, and the decision made.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Council Chamber at Hackney Town Hall, and a live stream link is provided for public viewing.