We hope that many of you were able to attend the drop in at the tennis centre on Weds 3 April to see the plans for the new school on the disused artificial pitch and part of the tennis centre.  If not you can see the plans and register your comments here, by 12 April.  Ruth, Marlene and Steve were at the drop in and discussed the proposals with a number of residents. 

Following our representations, the developers have agreed to think again about their proposals and delay the planning application beyond May.We have urged a number of improvements including:

• placing the building further towards the back of the site: the proposed position, at the front, immediately facing the park, provides excessive bulk and impact at odds with the parkland setting;
• improved layout and design of the building:  the rectangular shape of the building and its poor quality design do not provide the inspirational school that this important site demands;
• the parking is inadequate;
• the need for plans to address the very limited vehicle access from Rose Hill into the Rosehill Park car park;
• addressing pupil congestion in Rose Hill through variations in the school day;
• avoiding parents’ cars dropping off in Rose Hill and on the by-pass, causing safety issues;

We have also met the developers, and told them that we believe the current plans are unacceptable. 

We have written to the developer to set out our objections in full.  A copy of the letter is here.

We are asking for the plans to be substantially revised before a planning application is submitted, and are asking for the government appointed developer to produce a scheme more in keeping with the parkland setting.

We understand and support the need for a new school, and understand that the proposed location, while not ideal, is the best that can be found, but feel our children deserve better than that which has been proposed. 

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