A LANGUAGE school has been refused permission to keep two “wooden shacks” on its grounds after being accused of “putting their fingers up” at the council’s planning board.

Kings School of English in Braidley Road installed two wooden classrooms on the school grounds without planning permission at the end of 2013.

In February 2014 Bournemouth Borough Council granted the college temporary permission to keep the classrooms for a year while alternative arrangements were made.

However more than a year later, the college told council officers it is still no closer to finding a permanent solution and applied to keep the wooden classrooms for an extra three years.

The plans were strongly objected by local residents who live in the block of flats next to the classrooms.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, David Mead said the noise and light from the classrooms travelled into their homes.

“When the windows are open in the bedrooms and lounge we can clearly hear the noise from the students,” he said.

“My neighbours on my level are in reality the worst affected as their patio doors open right onto the classrooms windows. Their neighbours downstairs have a lovely outside decking which is in direct eye shot and in hearing of the classrooms.”

Urging the board to refuse planning permission, he added: “Kings School of English went ahead willy-nilly and built two substantial classrooms right on our boundaries under the initial guise that this was for storage, presumably in the hopes they would not get found out. They then said they were temporary classrooms whilst they refurbished the ones in the main block. Talk about trying to pull the wool over our eyes.”

Cllr Ron Whittaker said: “They [the language school] are putting their fingers up at us”. He added: “It is unacceptable in this day and age that we put students in these shacks of buildings. That’s what they are – wooden shacks.”

Cllr Lynda Price said the college, which did not have a representative at the decisive meeting, should have taken action sooner.

She said: “It was made very clear last year that this was a temporary application and we very kindly agreed to that for one year.”

Councillors unanimously agreed to refuse the application to extend temporary planning permission.

Chair of the board, Cllr David Kelsey, warned if the college fails to take act the council will take enforcement action to ensure the buildings are removed.