More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A multi-million pound expansion of a Kent school edges closer despite strong opposition from councillors and residents.
Gravesend's Mayfield Grammar School, which has been rated outstanding by Ofsted, will likely see a two-storey teaching block built on the Pelham Road site to accommodate an extra 210 pupils by September 2021.
KCC’s planning committee voted in favour of the enlargement yesterday, despite concerns around congestion, the loss of a sports playing field and fears that students could spy in the bedrooms of homes nearby.
Cllr Dr Lauren Sullivan (Lab), who represents the area at county level, said: "The upper level is to be for a sixth form common room and library.
"I'm sure young people would have no intention of looking out of the windows into the bedrooms and living areas of the residents.
“But, I would humbly suggest the windows at the top level are made opaque or one-way to give residents a sense of privacy."
KCC officers agreed to impose a condition to make the windows opaque following concerns raised by the ward councillor. The school's new build will be based at least 21m from people's homes in the Avenue and Lennox Road East.
A final decision will be made by Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick in the coming weeks, who is spearheading the Whitehall-funded programme.
A total of 1,137 pupils currently study at the Gravesend girls grammar school, which includes a sixth form cohort of 230 boys and girls, along with 130 staff members. However, the school continues to expand its student roll and needs new accomodation to cope with the rise.
The oversubscribed school has 170 pupils in Year 11, which is 25 more than the published admission number. Although, KCC's plannining committee said the latest rise of 210 pupils will likely have a 'negligible' impact on local roads.
Several Gravesend residents have criticised the move. Among them is Alastair Thrush, who said he was “disappointed” that KCC had decided to “squeeze” in more pupils, with the school “bursting at the seams”.
He said he did not oppose the building but warned about a "high demand and over-subscription for grammar school places in the borough".
Mr Thrush said in a letter commenting on the application: "This school was never designed for such numbers when it moved here in 1926 and simply does not have such local infrastructure to support such expansion."
He raised concerns about the impact of traffic in the area which was already struggling to cope with the current capacity.
Mayfield Grammar School is one of 277 schools that is expected to receive a cash boost from the Government's £2 billion Priority School Building Programme, a five-year project undertaken for major refurbishment of school buildings in the worst condition. The scheme ends in 2021.
A single-storey teaching block at the Pelham Road site has been described as "unfit for purpose" and will likely be demolished. A two-storey brick building would then be built in its place.
In the new building, the ground floor level will accommodate an activity studio, five classrooms, a science lab, eight music practice rooms, the headteacher's office and staff workroom.
At first floor level, there will be six ICT business studies rooms, a library area study area for sixth form students.
However, Thanet county councillor Rosalind Binks (Con) described the plans as a “sticking plaster” to manage with the increased demand for places.
KCC’s corporate director for planning, Sharon Thompson, defended the plan, saying: “This school has some of the worst accommodation in the country."
KCC officers admitted that a playing field used for rounders in the summer will be lost, but said the need for new school places in Gravesend outweighed this. They added that an existing school running track would be extended.
Sport England and Gravesham Borough Council have objected over the loss of the sports field, which will not be replaced.
Gravesham council leader John Burden (Lab), a member of KCC’s planning committee, said: "Running around in laps is not a playing field area. It has to be more than just running around in a circle. "
At the virtual meeting, seven KCC planning committee members voted in favour while three voted against.
