Education

Council moves to ease fears of "done deal" over Charvil primary school site

By Jon Nurse
October 23, 2012

Council officers have tried to calm fears that the site for a new primary school in Charvil has been chosen.

Wokingham Borough Council’s consultation meeting with villagers was met with scepticism when officers identified space near Charvil Village Hall in Park Lane and land in the south of East Park Farm as one of the best options for a primary school.

More than half the residents raised their hands in an impromptu vote, saying they felt the council had decided where the school will go.

Brian Grady, the council’s strategic commissioner for children, young people and families, answered questions over the council’s primary school places review. One woman said she feared the plans were set in stone.

He said: “We are not going to the executive in two weeks to build a school in this lady’s backyard.

“This is the start of the consultation to see if we can find a viable site. Nothing has been written off in terms of these options.”

Parents questioned why land north of the A4 wasn’t being considered, while Paul Mundy, 48, of East Park Farm, challenged the possibility of using land south of the estate.

“In documents I’ve been through there is clearly significant covenants on the country park,” he said. “I think it should be on record the park is for the community. Many people probably bought houses thinking it would stay a country park.”

Mr Grady responded: “I understand the concerns and requests. The position of the borough [council] is clear with covenants. We want to keep open space but we see covenants as something that isn’t unavailable for negotiation.” Expansions to Robert Piggott CE Infant and CE Junior Schools in Wargrave, St Nicholas CE Primary School in Hurst, Polehampton CE Infant and Junior Schools in Twyford or The Colleton Primary School in Twyford have not been ruled out.

Mr Grady also faced questions on whether catchment areas could change. He said areas are reviewed annually.

More than 120 villagers filled Charvil Village Hall last Tuesday.

Adrian Keward, of East Park Farm Drive, said: “For me tonight was making sure it’s not a done deal whether residents like it or not. There’s still a lot of scepticism in the rest of the room that it is.

“People living in East Park Farm believe it’s going there and they’re going to take some more convincing.”

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Most recent user comments 7 of 7

I don't agree that it's the same logic. There will be 30odd children in Charvil and the surrounding area without a school place in the coming admission year. It has been demonstrated that a school is needed in Charvil. Some residents have suggested that the school be built on land owned by Hicks developments, which he has actively been seeking permission to build dozens of houses on for years and years. If the council purchase land from him for the school it opens the gateway to more housing development on his surrounding land. Building on land they already own (in this situation, I am not seeking to generalise) is more cost effective and gives some increased hope that the school could be in place by 2013. I agree that there may very well be aspects of local and central government that are not wholly reputable, but it is extreme to suggest that it is all this way.

Charvil desperately needs a new school. If WBC choose to build on some of the land around East Park Farm then I support this. It would be a welcome addition to the village as far as I am concerned.

scarymary
24/10/2012 at 12:44

scarymary, by that logic we'll start of by building everything we need on existing parks, schools, sports clubs, leisure centres, libraries - and then when all that space is gone, start buying new land to build on. The council has enough money to buy land. It has enough money to set-up shell companies to handle £10m investment projects, pay people to run them, then cancel the business. There are millions floating around, and they will spend it where they like, just like central government; do not believe them when they say 'there is no choice, we must cut this' - there are ALWAYS choices. Choosing to stop billion dollar companies avoiding tax would solve many of our national and local problems, for example. or not wasting money on a 'police and crime commissioner' or whatever they're calling it. Just another expensive executive role to appoint their mates to...

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
24/10/2012 at 09:58

Of course it's a done deal :)

spangles
24/10/2012 at 09:41

The land being considered is land already owned by the parish council. It doesn't, as far as I am aware, own any land north of the a4. I would MUCH rather WBC spend funds on the building rather than buying land.

scarymary
23/10/2012 at 20:33

'Parents questioned why land north of the A4 wasn’t being considered..'

Perhaps because it would involve the majority of the catchment area's primary school children having to cross one of the busiest roads in the Borough and more traffic at already congested junctions.

pointofview, Wokingham
23/10/2012 at 13:29

Sounds like a right bunch of NIMBYs to be honest.

Charvil needs a school and there is a lot of (underused) land at East Park Farm.

Bring it on.

Millicent Reeves, Charvil
23/10/2012 at 12:22

"we see covenants as something that isn’t unavailable for negotiation"

Covenant - a promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action

Yeah, what do promises matter, especially from people in public service?

They'll build this where they decided to build it X months ago. Welcome to Wokingham.