FIERCELY opposed plans for an academy in Wembley have been approved sparking vows of a legal challenge by protesters.

The four year campaign against Ark Academy, in Wembley Park Sports Ground, finally came to a head last night as the full planning application for the school was passed.

But Wembley Park Action Group (WPAG), made up predominantly of local teachers, vowed to continue their fight, which has already seen them occupy the site on several occasions.

Hank Roberts, leader of the group, said: “We will certainly take it to the High Court and we have not given up on further direct action.

“Everyone agrees that the real need for a school is in the south of the borough.”

Brent Council says there is an urgent need for a new school and claims there is no realistic alternative to the current site, which has entrances on Bridge Road and Forty Avenue.

But residents' associations and a string of political parties stand alongside WPAG in opposition to the scheme and over the years the list of objections has snowballed.

Teaching has already started in a set of temporary classrooms, and football coach Peter Moring claims the project brought an end to training sessions he used to give in the shadow of Wembley Stadium.

Barnhill Residents' Association has spent £7,000, raised entirely through contributions from between 150 and 200 members, on traffic surveys, a lawyer and someone to do a flood risk assessment.

John Woods, its chairman, says the school will bring traffic and parking chaos as parents from the south try to drop their children off at school.

He said: “The quality of the transport report by Brent Council was unprofessional.

“In all my conversations with Brent officers I found that with this application they weren't listening.”

Councillor Robert Wharton, responsible for children and families, said there had been a lot of discussions with residents about the scheme and said the committee that approved it had done the “sensible thing”.

He said: “This time last year we had a lot of complaints from residents who could not get places in the schools of their choice.

“I think parents will appreciate having the extra choice.”

He said football pitches on the sports ground are open for use by the community and will remain so for 30 hours a week.

Councillor Bob Blackman, leader of the Tory group, which opposes the scheme, said: “We have been consistent throughout, we have held our principles.

“We have maintained the major issue which is that this is the wrong place for any school. We have a definite need for places in the south of the borough.”

The school will, if it is built, have a primary school, secondary school and sixth form with a total capacity of 1600 pupils.

For video footage of a protest held last summer click the link below.