A strictly Orthodox primary school in Stamford Hill has been granted temporary retrospective planning permission.

With around two dozen pupils, the Gur school has been operating from a three-storey house in Fairholt Road for almost a year.

Hackney Council has approved plans for a five-classroom school for 40 boys aged from three-to-seven.

The council received 102 letters of support and 25 objections.

Those against the school cited concerns including traffic congestion and increased parking, noise and an over-concentration of schools in a residential area.

Hackney "accepted that there is a need for these schools partly due to the fact that the Orthodox Jewish community do not wish their children to be taught in mainstream schools due to religious values.

"The fact that this residential property is currently being used as a school lends weight to the argument that this educational facility is required, otherwise the children could be assimilated into existing schools in the area." The planning consent is for a year.

School manager Abraham Schreiber said: "We are happy that they have granted the permission and we want to have a good relationship with the neighbours.

"Our community is growing and growing and there was no space for our kids in the other schools.

"We are looking into applying to extend the permission or finding bigger premises."