Plans to relocate the Job Centre Plus from Wandsworth Town to Southfields has resulted in a deluge of objection letters to Wandsworth Council citing everything from the proximity of schools to a drop in property values.

The current Job Centre Plus is based in the Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth Town but the Department of Work and Pensions wants to move it to a site on Merton Road in Southfields by September 2011 due to the redevelopment of its current site.

But residents in the nearby roads have raised concerns over whether putting a job centre in a more residential area would be beneficial for the users and staff and claim it could also have a negative impact on the whole area.

Louisa Davies, 33, of Camborne Road, said: “I work as careers adviser and I really understand the need for a job centre but the location is just not suitable for the needs of job seekers.

“All these people need to be able to access the job centre easily and with the limited transport to Southfields compared to Wandsworth, this idea seems like a ridiculous location.”

Over 100 residents have stated their objections on Wandsworth Council’s planning website, citing reasons such as fears over a drop in property values, parking and traffic problems, privacy issues and the fact that three primary schools are close by.

The current Job Centre Plus in Wandsworth has around 1,600 users per week with around 100 staff.

A DWP spokesperson said of the plans: "Due to redevelopment in Wandsworth, we have had no alternative but to look for new premises for Jobcentre Plus in the borough.

"We will continue to provide Jobcentre Plus services to the people of Wandsworth."

Visit www.nojobcentre.co.uk for more information about the objections.

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