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Search the Public Notice PortalA house in Hornchurch is seeking permission to teach special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children how to swim despite Havering Council shutting down lessons in June.
An official planning application has been made to the council seeking permission for swimming lessons at the property at 139 Haynes Road.
The proposal, made by Natalie Maguire, follows an enforcement notice served in June after the council said its use as a swimming business had breached planning rules.
It ordered the property to “cease the business use of the land for private hire swimming lessons or for pool hire”.
It also required the owners to “remove from the site all fittings, furniture and equipment associated with the business use”.
According to the notice, using the property as a swimming business had increased “general and vehicular activity” and the council said this was “detrimental to the living conditions” of neighbours.
It also said the increased demand for parking could not be fully met within the property.
Natalie previously told the Recorder she was "very disappointed" to receive the notice and felt "very sad" for the children who she could no longer teach.
In the new planning application, she said she has "applied to adapt the structure of my lessons to ensure that all cars are parked on the driveway at all times".
Natalie told the Recorder: "After receiving and adhering to the enforcement order, I have submitted a new application with revised plans.
"I have adjusted the plans to ensure that lessons are structured so that all cars can park on the drive and will not be parked in the road.
She said this would be in line with two other swim schools in Havering.
She explained that she teaches children with Down Syndrome, ADHD, autism, PDA, sensory processing and cerebral palsy - some of whom are non-verbal and "have been turned away from other swim schools who have refused to teach them".
She added: "Swimming is not only a life skill but is also part of the school curriculum in that all children are expected to be able to swim 25 metres before they leave year 6.
"My lessons provide the parent with the opportunity to have a respite break while I support their child in the water while also teaching them to swim.
"As a parent who has adopted children with special education needs I have a very good understanding of being able to teach swimming whilst also understanding the needs of the child."
In order to act on previous reasons for refusal, Natalie has suggested some adjustments to the structure of her lessons.
If approved, she will leave a gap of 15 minutes between each lesson to ensure only four cars are on her driveway at once as well as reducing her class size to two per group.
"Either of these options would mean that there are no cars parked on the road when attending lessons, as per the other two swim schools in the area," she added.
The latest application is not the first to be submitted by Natalie as plans for the swimming business were initially lodged in September 2025 but refused in January this year.
Reasons for the refusal matched those given in the enforcement notice.
Havering Council is set to make a decision on the new proposal by November 6 this year.
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