Mixed reaction to academy proposal
PLANS to build a school on Widnes greenspace have prompted a mixed reaction from the public ahead of a meeting to decide whether to give the project the green light.
If approved, The Raise Academy would serve up to 64 children of high school age with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) from Halton and St Helens.
Its proposed location is 1.79 hectares of land on Naylor Road close to the western edge of Fiddlers Ferry Road, separated by a tree border.
Planning chiefs on Halton Borough Council’s development management committee ( DMC) are due to decide whether to grant permission and to mull the mixed bag of representations made by residents.
A report published ahead of the meeting said the project has prompted 16 objections plus a petition signed 159 times in opposition to the plans, contrasted against 14 messages of support that said the area needs a new SEND school.
Opponents listed concerns including loss of greenspace and trees, construction dust and noise, parking issues and traffic safety, the “effect of EMF (electromagnetic field) emissions from substation”, and the risk of antisocial behaviour in the car park out of hours plus “problems caused by students to residents and their property in the nearby vicinity including vandalism and trespass”.
The council planning officer who wrote the report disputed that the school would result in antisocial behaviour or crime and said no evidence had been provided to indicate as such.
According to the report, petition signatories opposed the application on the grounds of hopes to “protect the green space for community use” and to “safeguard children’s welfare and road safety due to increased traffic and congestion”.
Warrington Road Nursery’s headteacher has also made a more neutral comment, stating the nursery “should not be responsible for the management and maintenance of the extended part of the car park off Naylor Road”.
Cheshire police have provided a long list of security feature commentary such as over fence heights and CCTV’s limitations as a “panacea” to deter intruders.
The Weekly News has previously reported how documents filed with the planning application featured the Department for Education (DfE) logo suggesting the scheme might have government backing.
Planning officers have recommended The Raise Academy for approval when the DMC meets on May 9 to decide the matter, stating it was “consistent” with the borough’s key planning document the Delivery and Allocations Local Plan.
In conclusion the report said: “The proposal would provide a new SEND school needed to support the educational needs of local children in Halton and St Helens.
“The overall design and appearance of the school is considered to be acceptable, it would respect the character and appearance of the local area, and is consistent with the high quality design standards required for new development.
“The site’s layout has been carefully designed to ensure that the amenity of existing surrounding occupiers would not be harmed, and would not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety.
“Consequently, the proposed development is consistent with Policies GR1, GR2, C1, C2 and HC10 of the Delivery and Allocations Local Plan, and paragraph 95 of the NPPF which recognises the importance of ensuring sufficient choice of school places is available to meet the needs of existing and new communities.”