New campus plans set for green light
A planning application for the relocation of two primary schools in Newmains is set to be approved by North Lanarkshire councillors this week.
The proposed development will see Newmains Primary and St Brigid’s Primary move to a shared campus along with the Newmains Family Centre. The new campus will include sports facilities including an all-weather floodlit pitch.
The matter will go before North Lanarkshire Council’s Planning Committee tomorrow and council officers have already recommended that planning permission for the development be approved subject to conditions.
The site for proposed development is on greenbelt land north of the current St Brigid’s Primary.
The new campus’ proposed site lies close to residential streets — west of Stewart Crescent and Park Drive, south of Lawrie Street and West Place, and to the north of Newton Drive, Tollpark Crescent and Claire Street.
To the west of the site lies open space where the boundary overlaps with Branchal Moss, a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).
The development is contrary to the North Lanarkshire Local Plan but can be justified as it needs a specific location and will have substantial social benefits.
The proposed school campus can also be accommodated with “an acceptable level of impact in the local environment”.
The new campus building will be principally single storey in height, two storey in the middle and the layout has a hub with “wheel spoke” design feature.
The sports facilities planned for the campus includes a full size synthetic pitch designed by recognised SAPCA (The Sports and Play Construction Association) registered specialist contractor,
Amongst the conditions attached to permission being granted is that the campus’ pitch will be fully operational and available for use no longer than a year after the opening of the school campus. A further cavaet is that the sports pitches will have lighting switched off and won’t be used between 9pm and 9am.