Regatta Way voted best site for two new schools
DECISION WILL SEE LADY BAY PRIMARY RELOCATE AND THE CREATION OF ALMOST 1,000 SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACES
A SITE has been given the go-ahead as the location for a new secondary school as well as the new home for an existing primary school.
Nottinghamshire County Council’s policy committee took another step in its ongoing plans to relocate Lady Bay Primary School, as well as create a new secondary school for West Bridgford.
There are plans to accommodate 750 secondary school places and a 200-place sixth form on the site, with the potential to expand to 950 places with a 250-place sixth form. Between seven and 10 hectares of land is required for the site and/or campus development.
Members unanimously agreed on the recommendation to approve council-owned land to the east of Regatta Way being used following feasibility studies to determine where in the Rushcliffe borough would be best. The decision was made largely down to the local area’s increasing demand for school places in fit-for-purpose facilities.
The report stated: “This is an area of high housing growth and continues to attract families relocating into the area and the relocation of Lady Bay Primary School to enable its expansion, the expansion of Rushcliffe school and the provision of an additional secondary school form the council’s approach to providing sufficiency.
“Even with the recent opening of Rosecliffe Spencer Academy projections still indicate a shortage of primary school places of 115 by 2024-25 and at secondary level for the same timescale there is a projected deficiency of 816 places with that to continue to rise through the decade.”
Concerns were raised from some members regarding the potential flood risk, with Labour Worksop North councillor Alan Rhodes asking members to consider “if we didn’t own it, would we buy it?”.
In August last year, the country’s largest youth football club hit back at the potential housing and school plan for its sports ground at Regatta Way.
Overall committee members felt the need to approve the recommendation was important to ensure the children’s future school places.
Reg Adair, Conservative councillor for Bunny, said: “It’s our duty to make sure there is capacity available for schools. We should have been doing it five years ago – we’ve really let families down.”
County council leader Councillor Kay Cutts said she had considered all options for the school during a spell of recent flooding and despite seeing waterlogged land at some, said the Regatta Way eastern site had not been affected.
The council said a number of other sites were considered, including land at Adbolton playing fields, land at Regatta Way and land at Tollerton Lane, Gamston.
It was concluded the Regatta Way site was the most suitable with its proximity to Lady Bay and the ability to complete the development within the timescale necessary due to council ownership. The council now needs to commission work on a concept design as well as specialist reports and an advisory team to take forward development of the proposals for the new schools. The proposals will require a further £500,000 from the Nottinghamshire basic need allocation.