Primary school for huge housing development is ‘being considered’
COUNCILLORS WEIGHING UP FUTURE DEMAND FOR PLACES
PLANS for a new primary school to be built at the Chase Farm development in Gedling are being looked at by county councillors.
It was previously reported that talks had been held over the design of a new school at the site where, once all work is finished, around 1,050 homes will be built.
But the chair of the local authority’s children and young person’s committee, Councillor Tracey Taylor, said the building of a new primary school there is dependent on whether there is “future demand for school places”.
Around 500 new homes have already been built at the Chase Farm site, and new details have emerged on the plans for 430 new homes in the next phase of construction.
Councillor Taylor said: “We are considering commissioning a new primary school at Chase Farm, Gedling, should future demand for school places require it.
“High levels of new housing in Gedling has led to a need for additional school places at both primary and secondary level.
“When a future requirement for additional school places is identified, we consider the most efficient way of creating new places, either by commissioning the building of a new school or the expansion of an existing school.”
New primary schools are already being built in the area.
Councillor Taylor added: “We have recently commissioned a new primary school to serve the large housing development at Teal Close, Netherfield.
“Rivendell Flying High Academy is scheduled to open in September 2022 and will have capacity for 210 pupils. Place planning officers continually analyse demographic and housing data to project the number of pupils requiring a school place in the future, and identify where additional school places may be required.”
And it’s not just primary school places that will increase.
The expansion of Carlton le Willows Academy, which already has 1,710 secondary school and sixthform students, will create around 400 new places when it is complete, meaning that number will rise to more than 2,100.
Plans to expand were given the green light in April earlier this year, and work is expected to start in spring 2022 with more details of that to be announced by the academy early in the new year.
When permission was granted, it was said the aim is for the expansion to be ready to welcome students in September 2022.
Councillor Taylor said: “At secondary school phase, we recently commissioned the expansion of Carlton Le Willows Academy in Gedling.
“This project, along with the completed expansion of Carlton Academy, will address increased demand for secondary school places, primarily from new housing in the local area.
“Combined, the two projects will mean approximately 700 more secondary school places in the Carlton area and ensure the sufficiency of school places in Gedling.”
Speaking when plans were approved for the expansion of Carlton le Willows in April, head teacher Craig Weaver said: “This expansion project will allow us to increase our capacity to meet a growing shortfall in secondary school places in Gedling so that even more children living nearby have a better chance of securing a place at their local school.
“Our plans will integrate our split site, building new and improving on existing facilities so everyone who attends the Academy now, and in the future, can benefit.”