Community use of redundant school sites seems a distant dream
Wednesday, 12th May 2010.
With less than a month left of Suffolk County Council's consultation process about the future of redundant school buildings in Haverhill, there seems little chance of any of them being turned over to urgently-needed community use.
When middle schools are phased out in 2011, and new primaries are built, other uses will need to be found for sites which make up a significant part of the town.
A public meeting in March identified a lack of accommodation for community groups in the town now, let alone when the number of options is reduced.
However, Suffolk County Council is insisting on the opposite view, that all requirements can be accommodated within existing sites.
A council spokesman said: "We are of the view that many community uses can be accommodated at existing schools which are available for hire at competitive rates.
"All schools are encouraged to make their premises available for community use and individual governing bodies have policies which confirm their practice and charges.
"The school organisation review is adding accommodation to most of our schools which may offer more opportunities for increased community use."
However, a quick survey done today (Wednesday) of schools in the town revealed the county council's picture is completely inaccurate.
Of the 13 schools in the town seven could not accommodate a simple request for weekly space on a Wednesday evening from 7-9.30pm at all, and none came up with an immediate positive response.
Four did not hire out at all, another had no insurance for evening hire, and for another it was too late for the caretaker.
Only three would be properly accessible sites with disabled toilets anyway.
Five sites will become redundant, of which three are already spoken for. A new Clements Primary School is being built at Puddlebrook and the current site will become open land managed by St Edmundsbury Council.
A new Westfield Primary School is being built in Chalkstone Way and the current Manor Road site will be redundant.
Of the three middle schools themselves, the Parkway site will be integrated with Castle Manor for three years, with a new secure footway between the sites being constructed.
Chalkstone Middle School site will be redeveloped as a care home, leaving about an acre which could be developed for housing or for community use.
No use has yet come forward for the Castle Hill Middle School site in School Lane.
Haverhill Town Council held a public meeting at the end of March to investigate what community uses were needed in Haverhill and whether the school buildings could accommodate any, making it worthwhile to make a bid for one.
The county council spokesman said: "Suffolk County Council will seek to ascertain from any community group that comes forward during the current consultation that they have a long term viable financial plan, that they meet a recognised but unmet community need; that their proposal can be sustained in the longer term and the use cannot be accommodated within a remaining school.
"Following on from this consultation we will be preparing development briefs for the sites which will be agreed with St Edmundsbury Borough Council and subject to public consultation.
"Ultimately the use, and therefore the value, of the land will be determined by a planning consent which will reflect the content of approved development briefs."
Haverhill town mayor Cllr Elaine McManus called the availability of redundant sites a 'once-in-a-geneation opportunity' for the town, but when asked how this view could be reconciled with the county council's business-based approach, the spokesman said: "Suffolk County Council requires capital receipts from the sale of these sites to pay for the investment it is making in improving education provision in the town.
"It is committed, however, to the community consultation exercise it is currently engaged in to establish whether demand exists for viable community uses of these sites. The development briefs to be agreed with St Edmundsbury will take into account the public consultations."
When middle schools are phased out in 2011, and new primaries are built, other uses will need to be found for sites which make up a significant part of the town.
A public meeting in March identified a lack of accommodation for community groups in the town now, let alone when the number of options is reduced.
However, Suffolk County Council is insisting on the opposite view, that all requirements can be accommodated within existing sites.
A council spokesman said: "We are of the view that many community uses can be accommodated at existing schools which are available for hire at competitive rates.
"All schools are encouraged to make their premises available for community use and individual governing bodies have policies which confirm their practice and charges.
"The school organisation review is adding accommodation to most of our schools which may offer more opportunities for increased community use."
However, a quick survey done today (Wednesday) of schools in the town revealed the county council's picture is completely inaccurate.
Of the 13 schools in the town seven could not accommodate a simple request for weekly space on a Wednesday evening from 7-9.30pm at all, and none came up with an immediate positive response.
Four did not hire out at all, another had no insurance for evening hire, and for another it was too late for the caretaker.
Only three would be properly accessible sites with disabled toilets anyway.
Five sites will become redundant, of which three are already spoken for. A new Clements Primary School is being built at Puddlebrook and the current site will become open land managed by St Edmundsbury Council.
A new Westfield Primary School is being built in Chalkstone Way and the current Manor Road site will be redundant.
Of the three middle schools themselves, the Parkway site will be integrated with Castle Manor for three years, with a new secure footway between the sites being constructed.
Chalkstone Middle School site will be redeveloped as a care home, leaving about an acre which could be developed for housing or for community use.
No use has yet come forward for the Castle Hill Middle School site in School Lane.
Haverhill Town Council held a public meeting at the end of March to investigate what community uses were needed in Haverhill and whether the school buildings could accommodate any, making it worthwhile to make a bid for one.
The county council spokesman said: "Suffolk County Council will seek to ascertain from any community group that comes forward during the current consultation that they have a long term viable financial plan, that they meet a recognised but unmet community need; that their proposal can be sustained in the longer term and the use cannot be accommodated within a remaining school.
"Following on from this consultation we will be preparing development briefs for the sites which will be agreed with St Edmundsbury Borough Council and subject to public consultation.
"Ultimately the use, and therefore the value, of the land will be determined by a planning consent which will reflect the content of approved development briefs."
Haverhill town mayor Cllr Elaine McManus called the availability of redundant sites a 'once-in-a-geneation opportunity' for the town, but when asked how this view could be reconciled with the county council's business-based approach, the spokesman said: "Suffolk County Council requires capital receipts from the sale of these sites to pay for the investment it is making in improving education provision in the town.
"It is committed, however, to the community consultation exercise it is currently engaged in to establish whether demand exists for viable community uses of these sites. The development briefs to be agreed with St Edmundsbury will take into account the public consultations."
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