Hampshire County Council

Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel Item

30 June 2005

Strategy for Primary School Provision in the East New Forest Area -

Blackfield Infant School, Holbury Infant School,

Former Langdown Infant School (now part of Waterside Primary School)

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits in with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims:

Aim 1 - Maximising life opportunities by maintaining a high standard of primary school provision.

Aim 2 - Stewardship of the environment by ensuring vacant surplus land is bought into productive use.

Aim 5 - Improving services by providing primary school places in the locations and in the quantities required to meet current and future needs.

1

Executive Summary

1.1

This report considers the property and financial implications of the strategy for the reorganisation of primary school provision in the East New Forest Area. Approval is sought to apply up to 100% of the net capital receipt from the sale of surplus land at Blackfield Infant School, Holbury Infant School and former Langdown Infant School premises towards the implementation of the strategy. It further seeks approval to enter into agreements with New Forest District Council relating to planning obligations being sought in connection with a grant for outline planning consent for the sites. This approval is necessary at this time in order to allow planning matters to be finalised with New Forest District Council prior to the marketing and subsequent disposal of the surplus sites on the open market.

2

Background

2.1

Early in 2004, the Education Policy Review Committee considered reports by the County Education Officer on proposals to reorganise primary school places in the East New Forest Area. The review was conducted to consider the supply and likely future demand for primary school places in the area, specifically acknowledging the growing surplus capacity of the existing schools. The review was undertaken following full public consultations with all of the affected Schools in the area on the various options available.

2.2

Following these consultations, further reports were made to Executive Member for Education who agreed a strategy resulting in the following proposals:

i)

Discontinue Blackfield Infant School and Blackfield Junior School with effect from 31 August 2006 and;

ii)

to establish a new 540 place community primary school on the Blackfield Junior Site with effect from September 2006 and;

iii)

discontinue Langdown Junior School with effect from 31 December 2004 and;

iv)

make a prescribed alteration to Langdown Infant School to become a 210 place primary school with Early Years provision to be known as Waterside Primary School with effect from 1 January 2005 (in the first instance in the present school buildings and to transfer to an adapted and extended school buildings on the Langdown Junior School site with effect from September 2006 and:

v)

establish a new 420 place community primary school with Early Years provision on the Holbury Junior School site with effect from 1 September 2006.

2.3

As a result, it is intended that the former Langdown Infant, Holbury Infant and Blackfield Infant School sites be declared surplus to educational requirements and sold to fund extension, adaptation and improvement works to the retained new primary schools.

3

Financial Implications

3.1

The proposed strategy involves substantial investment in new and adapted existing educational facilities which it is intended would be funded from a combination of:

a

Capital Programme 2006/07

b

Schools devolved capital contribution

c

Capital receipts from sale of surplus sites

4

Planning Applications/Project Appraisals

4.1

To establish the level of capital receipt likely to be forthcoming on disposal of the three surplus infant school sites, and therefore the funding available for the improvement works to retained premises, outline planning applications have been made to New Forest District Council, the applications proposing residential redevelopment for each of the site. New Forest District Council at its Development and Control Committee 8 June 2005 agreed to approve the applications subject to the completion of Section 106 Agreements relating to the provision of affordable housing and public open space provision and maintenance. The agreements sought are considered reasonable in relation to these proposals.

4.2

Reports containing the Building Design Project Appraisal for the new Blackfield and Waterside Primary Schools are elsewhere on this meeting agenda.

5.0

Land Disposals

5.1

All of these surplus sites are within the developed boundary of their respective settlements. Former Langdown School an independent site totalling 0. 71 ha (1.76 ac). The site is separated from the main primary school site which is to be retained.

5.2

Holbury Infant School occupies a site of 0.72 ha (1.78 ac) within a shared site with Holbury Junior School. The County Council will be establishing the new primary school within the junior school complex.

5.3

Similarly, Blackfield Infant School occupies a site of 0.77 ha (1.9 ac) immediately adjoining Blackfield Junior School, the intended retained site for the primary school. This junior school is a Foundation School.

5.4

A planning and design brief has been prepared for each site, initially to provide further detail to assist New Forest District Council in their determination of the outline planning applications. It is intended that these briefs will be further utilised to support the marketing process and assist in the selection of prospective purchasers/developers.

5.5

Each of these sites cannot be released until the completion of extension and adaption works to form the new primary school premises, this being expected for September 2006. However, following receipt of outline planning consent, it is intended to market these sites during 2005 to enable the selected developer to obtain detailed planning consent for the approved scheme and be ready for start on site immediately following the vacation of the school to their new premises.

5.6

Details of offers and schemes obtained following marketing will be reported back to the Executive Member for consideration and selection of preferred purchasers.

5.7

Applications for consent to dispose of these school sites have been made to the Secretary of State under Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Following the consultation period, an enabling decision will be expected.

6

Consultation with Local Members

6.1

Councillor Brian Dash (County Council Member for Dibden and Hythe) and Councillor Lee Dunsdon (County Council Member for South Waterside) have been advised of the proposals to develop the sites within their prospective electoral divisions.

Recommendation(s)

That:

the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advise the Executive Member (Policy & Resources) that authority be given to:

1

The sites of Blackfield, Holbury and the former Langdown Infant Schools be declared surplus to County Council purposes and, following receipt of outline planning consent, marketed for residential redevelopment;

2

Up to 100% of the net capital receipt from the sale of Blackfield Infant School, Holbury Infant School and Former Langdown Infant School be applied towards the implementation of the strategy to re-organise Primary School Provision in the East New Forest Area and;

3

The County Council enter into agreements with New Forest District Council relating to the planning obligations being sought in connection with a grant of outline planning consent for the residential redevelopment of the land on the basis set out in the report and on detailed terms to be settled by the Director of Property Business and Regulatory Services (Head of Estates Practice).