- The local Trustees
of land at the central school sites will support appropriate educational
development without objection to construction on land currently in their
ownership. Although this is an assumption, it is not a "fact". The Trustees
will require non-hypothetical discussion and consideration of possibilities.
Assumption
2 - Planning Considerations
- Although preliminary
consultations have taken place with the Director of Environmental Services
and planners from the Vale of White Horse District Council, planning
implications of new development on the school sites would need to be
pursued at an early stage of any subsequent detailed study.
- The main planning
issues are as follows: -
Sustainability
All
proposals would have to be assessed against the Local and Structure
Plans’ policies for sustainable development, especially reducing use
of non-renewable energy.
The
‘Strategic Gap’
Development
of the West site of King Alfred School is restricted by local plan protection
of a "strategic gap" of open green space between East Challow and Wantage.
It is assumed that this would be a major constraint for large scale
development in this area.
Traffic
Impact
Increased
peak time traffic to the existing School sites may attract objections
from local residents and there may be highway concerns. A Transport
Assessment would be required to assess the actual impact of the various
secondary school developments on the surrounding residential and town
centre roads. School Travel Plans would be required.
Sport
England
Sport
England would object to new buildings on playing fields in Wantage unless
other unspecified gains can be made to the overall outdoor sports provision
in the town because of the identified shortfall. These would need to
be taken into account in a subsequent detailed study.
DfES
There
are statutory minimum standards for school playing fields, recreation
areas and hard play area. Local Education Authorities have to apply
to the DfES for permission for disposal, or change of use, of school
sites.
Staff
Parking
A
detailed assessment of staff car parking on the existing school sites
has not yet been undertaken and should form part of a subsequent feasibility
study with the Transport Assessments and Travel Plans.
Land
Acquisition
The
study assumes that land could be acquired to enlarge the existing West
Site but this could be problematical, and for a new Greenfield school
(either provided by developers as part of a major residential development
or acquired by the County Council).
Assumption
3 - Curriculum Analysis
- A standard mix
curriculum analysis (DfES guidelines) has been used to derive schedules
of accommodation required for each option. The final schedule will depend
on the detailed curriculum information derived with the co-operation
of the schools concerned. King Alfred’s College is a Specialist College
for Sport. The impact of this specialism would need to be considered
in a subsequent more detailed feasibility study.
Assumption
4 – Departmental Groupings
- Any modified or
new school will be reorganised to provide faculty/departmental grouping
within buildings as far as possible and required. Broad groupings of
curriculum areas have been considered but the precise requirements would
need further investigation in a subsequent study.
Assumption
5 – Project Phasing
- The school roll
figures cited in the four options are projections for year 2021. The
accommodation schedules used are based on the existing school buildings.
The curriculum analyses are based upon current curriculum models. The
options explored broadly consider the means of achieving construction
on existing sites (where appropriate) but do not consider detailed phasing
of the construction nor the logistics of transfer of children and staff
from current accommodation to the modified or new accommodation. Once
decisions are made on the future residential development and the direction
of secondary education in Wantage, more robust forecasts can be derived
for construction phasing, and then logistics can be addressed.
Assumption
6 – Temporary Accommodation
- All existing temporary
accommodation is to be removed.
Assumption
7 – Utilities and Services
- Service (gas,
water, telecoms, electricity and drainage) capacities on the existing
school sites need to be checked in more detail as part of a subsequent
study.
Assumption
8 – Structural Stability
- A detailed assessment
of the structural implications of any internal alterations will need
to be carried out as part of a subsequent study. Ground investigations
will also inform the likely cost of new build accommodation. The cost
estimates do not include for any known instabilities in building or
ground conditions.
Assumption
9 – Hazardous Materials Survey
- The results of
a subsequent asbestos survey may increase conversion costs.
Assumption
10 – Sports Hall
- The teaching area
schedules derived in pursuit of three of the options require a sports
hall accommodation on Centre Site. It has been assumed that the sports
hall within the Leisure Centre can service this need in full.
Assumption
11 – Infants’ School
- Adjoining the
Centre Site occupied by King Alfred’s College is land currently occupied
by Wantage Infants’ School. The new primary school development at Newbury
Street, Wantage, will allow the Infants’ School site to be vacated.
When considering the accommodation available at the Centre Site, vacated
accommodation on the Infant’s school site has been included (but excluding
the listed building on that site).
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