People protesting against a new school are furious at claims that the site was leased for just £1.

Enfield Council leased Ladysmith Road open space in Upper Edmonton to St Johns Evangelist church, which received approval to build the Meridian Angel C of E Primary School on the site last week, leaving only a small part for the community.

Residents of Edmonton Angel Community Together (REACT) claimed they were told at a meeting with council officers last week that the open space, next to Dysons Road, had been let for £1.

Aggrieved at losing the area’s “only” open space, the group is furious to have lost it for the miserly figure.

Grace Kamal, a member of REACT, told the Enfield Independent: “Report after report has stated that this is a well set-up park and had a lovely playground. This was not a run down piece of land that warranted being leased for just £1, it is disgraceful.

“There is contamination on the site but that does not mean it can be sold for such a small figure, we are all outraged by what the council has done.”

The site is to be decontaminated by the council before the school is built by the church but the residents believe that the council did not seek value for money in leasing the park off.

Ms Kamal added: “It is a policy that the council should seek the best deal for people in the borough and what we have been told is not a fair deal on our precious land.

“We feel the local residents have been left with no green space in the area."

Enfield Council said it was ‘too commercially sensitive’ to reveal how much the site was leased for.

A spokesman said: “Enfield Council is not selling this site.

“We are entering into a long term lease arrangement with London Community Learning Trust, which will see a school and a public park built on this site.

“This arrangement represents the best interests of the community, the council and London Community Learning Trust, will play an important role in increasing the number of school places in this part of Enfield while providing a lovely, safe haven for families to enjoy.”