An outline planning application for a residential development of up to 52 properties (50/50 mix market and affordable housing) has now been submitted by Welfare Dwellings Residential Care Ltd for the former Grammar School site. The application also includes significant changes to the old school building. Namely demolition of the existing extensions, portable buildings and huts, combined with a new single storey, two storey extension and sports hall. The new Swanage Free School is due to open in September 2013. Full details of all this can be found on-line at:
http://planning-purbeck.dorsetforyou.com/planning/PlanAppDisp.asp?RecNum=38299
So what do people make of this?
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12 comments:
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Interesting that the housing is 50/50 market and affordable. In their response to the PDC consultation on this requirement the owners of the site claimed that a high level would make development in general non-viable. Are they eating their words?
14/2/12 9:57 AM
This was discussed at the Swanage Town and Community Partnership meeting. It seems sensible and I am pleased to see that something is being done about the Grammar School site.
I'm really pleased and think this is a very positive move for the town as a whole. Hope the application is approved.
It is worth a go. But the town has to get behind this school. The site is too small - it would be beneficial if STC would deed over the additional land for playing fields. Thinking outside the box, it might be beneficial to reserve some of the affordable housing for new specialist teachers who will be needed to teach the 11+ kids.
My grandparents ran the village school at Little Berkhamstead and lived in the adjacent school house. This was supplied as part of their salary. Perhaps teachers should be given houses to live in like vicars are. I am not sure if the teachers would like to live so close to the kids or to each other.
Why not, Robin?
It is the norm at every prep and public school. It used to be the norm in state schools, too.
I agree Dave and Robin, I think it's a positive move for the community and glad to see they're doing something with the site.
The inclusion of 50% affordable housing on the old Grammar School site development is something I totally welcome. However, looking at the site plans on the PDC planning website I really wish that the proposed housing wasn’t going to be situated so close to the school. As things stand the current plans show the school with very little outdoor space, not only for sporting activity but even more importantly for informal\social activity. It’s also difficult to see how the school could ever expand in future (except upwards!) to accommodate more pupils, for example those aged over 16.
Is there no way that the developer could enter into a land swap with the adjacent Council owned land by Washpond Lane? I keep hearing rumours that this land has been earmarked for St Mary’s RC Primary School which in my opinion makes the idea of a land swap even more appealing. Surely there is no sense in having a housing estate situated smack bang between two future schools when there might be an opportunity to site the schools adjacent to each other with shared open space between their buildings?
Some interesting thoughts ...but send your views to PDC Planning if you want them to take any notice. It's not part of the planning process for officers/councillors to monitor sites like this for people's opinions.
Have done Mr Postman :)
9.05 Far too sensible and joined up ever to happen in Swanage...
Regarding the planning application for development at the Grammar School I can’t help but ask why the houses are going to be situated so close to the school leaving a large open area of land to the north of this plot. Surely the council and the developer could organise some form of ‘land swap’ so the houses are away from the school and open land is in between them?
On the subject of open space, why is the school so compromised in its playground and sports facilities? There is precious little open area around the school site and Education Swanage have themselves stated in their newsletter that they will be using Days Park – notable for its dog excrement, how nice will that be for children to play in I ask you- and are currently asking for the Football Club to GIVE them land to build a sports hall.
Firstly, why wasn’t this lack of open space negotiated with the developer before these plans went in? This whole planning application shows poor utilisation of the available land and I cannot believe for a minute that this is the vision of a 21st century secondary school that was promised to Swanage as it is so compromised with the lack of playground and sports areas- both indoor and out. I know that Education Swanage are keen to use other areas around the town but how disruptive and time consuming will that be within the school curriculum with children traipsing to King Georges to play football. There is a pitch at Journeys End however the ground there is pretty boggy for a large part of the year and after rain, can be pretty much unusable.
Secondly why should the football club give land to the school? Just because the developer has agreed to give them a measly portion of land for nothing (well, a housing development actually) why should other parties be expected to do the same? As I have said, this should have been addressed and negotiated with the developer before these plans were submitted. The Football Club is woefully short of funds and is in need of updating to make it a modern, usable and attractive option for the town to use for functions. With some help from the Council (and some effort from the Club supporters) this could be a fantastic asset to the town. You may be interested to know that there are more Youth teams playing in Swanage now than ever before so why not invest in something that the whole town can be proud of AND encourage more children into team sports? The Football Club could negotiate to ALLOW Education Swanage to use its facilities on a regular timetabled basis.
Can’t help but think this is not the school we were promised, it just shows that aspirations don’t always translate well into real life. This planning application needs a re-think and yes, I have raised these concerns with Anthony Bird (Planning Services) Purbeck District Council.
Properlocal
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