New school proposal set to move closer to fruition
PLANS for a multi-million pound replacement primary school are to move closer after councillors have been recommended to lodge no objection.
An application has already been submitted to Derbyshire County Council to provide a new infant and nursery school which will replace Church Gresley Nursery and Infant School, in York Road.
Members of South Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee will meet next week to look at the plans, for land in Pennine Way, before the final decision is made by the county authority.
The budget cost for the replacement infant and nursery school is £6.6 million and it is understood that a significant financial contribution for the project will come from David Wilson Homes, which was the principal developer of the Castleton Park development, under the terms of a Section 106 Agreement.
The new school would accommodate 270 pupils aged from four to seven — a 12.5 per cent increase on the existing school’s 240 places — as well as a nursery of 52 places.
The expected increase in pupil numbers will be caused by the new housing developments.
The new site borders and shares an access road with the existing Pennine Way Junior Academy, with the infant school entering a new era of closer cooperation with its neighbour, according to the authority.
The new school will occupy a 6,470 sq metre site including outdoor play areas, while the county council is also in the process of acquiring an additional 600sq metres of land to the north of the site for a car park.
However, the construction of the new school could mean the loss of 10 of the 29 trees on the site.
A survey revealed that of the 29 trees, all of them were found to be in the low quality or value categories.
A total of 19 trees are proposed for retention if possible.
The county planning authority has advised that the council has no objection adding: “The proposed school is considered acceptable in principle in this location and the use of council land for the staff car park is acceptable.
“While the loss of some trees and habitat is regrettable, it is acknowledged that trees have been retained on the boundaries where possible and adequate mitigation is proposed.
“The spilt level design is welcomed as it helps to reduce the building’s impact on the residential amenity of existing Pennine Way properties and the visual amenity of the area.”
