London - Orthodox Jewish Girls' School Draws Fines For Using Private Stamford Hill Residence As Classrooms

Stamford Hill, London - The owners of a three-story Stamford Hill residence have been fined £6,000 for zoning laws violations after allowing a nearby Orthodox Jewish Girls school to use the residence for classrooms, rent free.

DAILYMAIL.co.uk reports that the owners of the property, Amhurst Park Holdings Limited, was fined after failing to address code violations cited by the Hackney Council in 2011.

According to documents, neighbors say the Orthodox Jewish school, Bnois Jerusalem Girls’ School, has been using the residence as classrooms dating back to 2006, often cramming as many as 120 students into the home for lessons.

Years of noise complaints from neighbors ultimately resulted in local officials visiting the property in 2011, where they discovered the violations.

Owners of the building filed an application for permission to use the building as a school, but their application was rejected.

 A follow-up visit by officials in July of 2012 found the residence still functioning as a school, and the owners were cited.

 In his ruling, Judge Stephen Dawson, of the Snaresbrook Crown Court, said he was “sympathetic” to the fact the building was being used by a school out of necessity, but that “we all should stick to the rules.”