Brewster Academy, the luxury private school that has been teaching in Chamberí since September without a license, has run out of time. On Friday, the 30-day period given by the municipal activities agency to stop their activities ended. When this period of “grace” is over, according to the PSOE, the Municipal Police may show up next Monday and seal the academy, which designates two adjacent listed buildings. The Madrid City Council has assured, however, that the maximum time for the closure to be carried out is December 11.
The academy started its course on September 7 in two historic buildings on Eloy Gonzalo Street: the former Homeopathic Hospital and the Palace of the Marquis de los Salados. It was his premiere in Spain after a long career teaching students in New Hampshire, United States. In Madrid, they teach children between 3 and 18 years old in courses equivalent to preschool, primary, ESO, and Spanish high school for between 7,000 and 20,000 euros per year.
A month and a half after the start of classes, the Activity Agency informed Brewster that his activity would not be possible. In its resolution, the organization argues that the document presented by the center to be able to operate—a responsible declaration—is invalid. For listed buildings, as in this case, a license is required. In any case, it is not possible to process any type of permit because the special plan requested by the owner—the company EG, Brewster’s ‘landlord’—is still being processed.
Due to this situation, the agency ordered the “immediate cessation or cessation of the action that is the subject of the responsible declaration” within a month. It is also necessary to “restore the physical and legal status to date prior to the implementation of the declared action.” If the school does not comply within that period, the agency warns that the works in progress and the activity “force” will be sealed.
Until December 11,
As the center confirmed, classes have been normal since then, and Brewster will “guarantee” the education of its students. In fact, students are still going to school these days, even though the one-month deadline has expired this Friday. Sources from the Urban Planning Department of the City Council assured that, since the school did not stop its activity, another order was issued “which means the obligation to close before December 11”.
The PSOE did not understand that Cibeles had ordered this new deadline. They maintained that the Activities Agency had already issued a seal to the school and given the owner 30 days to close. “for one’s own will”. “The police have less than 30 days to seal it; they have an immediate order to forcefully stop an illegal situation,” he explained. Antonio Giraldores is responsible for urban planning in the municipal socialist group.
In any case, according to Giraldo, the school will not be able to perform its regular duties before that date. Accordingly, the Urban Planning Commission will approve the special plan in full on Monday. The matter will be brought up to the plenary session of Cibeles on November 28, where it may progress due to the votes of the PP, which has an absolute majority. From that moment on, owners have free rein to apply for a license.
This will start a bureaucratic process that can last “even months” because “this type of license also requires additional asset reports from the Community of Madrid.” “I understand that they rush, but this is a license, and they are not quick things, in addition to the councilor.
The academy is “convinced” that the license will be processed on December 11.
The PP, together with the PSOE?
This Thursday, the PSOE brought a proposal to the plenary session of the Chamber to urge the immediate closure of the school. Far from rejecting the position of the socialists, the PP spokesman in this district aligned himself with his opponents. “It cannot be proved that a school or any other is acting outside the law, he stated in the statements collected in We from Madrid. “We are going to vote in favor. Another position would not fit in the face of a flagrant case of non-compliance with current legislation,” he added.
The initiative, which continues the votes of the PP, PSOE, and Más Madrid, urges the Chamber District Board, or “competent department,” to “enforce” the cessation of activity teachers once the deadline given by the Activities Agency expires.
