A NEW children’s nursery is due to open in Highbury next year, sparking fury from residents who say it is too big.

Monkey Puzzle, which already runs two similar projects in Islington, hopes to open its newest centre in Melody Lane.

It has struck a sour note with residents who say the 120-children centre will drastically alter life on the private road.

Alastair Parker, 57 said: “I think a smaller nursery could work here but on this scale – it’s huge. Actually, it would be one of the largest in London.”

Mr Parker said Melody Lane is too narrow for drop-off traffic, adding: “You only need five cars coming in and five cars coming out and the whole thing basically shuts down. We’re worried about going out there and it’s just a car jam up and down.”

The nursery plans to take over 7-9 Melody Lane, which had previously been rented out as offices.

Mr Parker said: “I hadn’t appreciated that you could convert a building without planning permission to something where the density could go up three or four times.

“I hadn’t appreciated that you could take an office building and use it for something that’s rather unsuitable for it.”

Tom Van Rijsewijk, 37, who has lived in the road for a year, said: “It’s not really suitable. They want to make a playground, which is quite disturbing if you sit on the balcony to our living room because it’s very close.”

Residents point to a recent study which said there were currently too many places and not enough children.

Geoff Kent, who is set to run the Melody Lane nursery, said: “I understand that they don’t want a nursery on their doorstep but unfortunately we are coming. We are going to provide thousands of children with a wonderful start in life over the next few years.”

Mr Kent said that there is a lack of good quality nurseries in the area, with only two rated outstanding by Ofsted.

“The difference bet­ween an outstanding nursery and a normal standard nursery is very significant … Ask any mum in Highbury how easy it is to find a good nursery. At our Highbury nursery we probably get five people a week who want to book a place who we can’t offer a place to because there’s no capacity.”

Geoff Kent, who is set to run the Melody Lane nursery, told the Tribune that they are committed to being good neighbours but that residents were “shooting themselves in the foot”.

He said they had rejected proposals for a perimeter fence that would reduce noise.