Bishop Hooper School
Meeting at Ashford Carbonell Village Hall Thursday 12th January 2010 to discuss the new school
The meeting which was attended by local residents and was chaired by the Parish Council Chairman Mr R Tilt had been arranged as part of the consultation in respect of the design and construction of the new Bishop Hooper School in Ashford Carbonell.
Mr N Porter Head of Planning and Premises Shropshire Council introduced the appointed Developers (Thomas Vale Construction) and the Architects (Architype) for the project.
Mr Porter was satisfied that the project was still on schedule for the new school to be opened for the Autumn Term September 2011 and explained that during the next few months there will be a series of consultation meetings which involves :
a) Meetings with the Reference Group
b) Meetings with the School some of which will be in a workshop basis -Governors, Teachers, Children and Parents
c) An interim report to the public on initial design and siting proposals this to be held on the 25th February 2010 which will also enable a one to one session for local residents who border the site.
d) Public meeting the 25th March 2010 at which a model presentation of the School, siting and landscape will be produced.
Mr Porter explained that after these consultation stages a full planning application will be submitted this again will enable public to submit their views.
The purchase of the land which is for the whole field was still in negotiation and may not be completed until the planning process has taken place anticipated end of April 2010.
The meeting had a presentation from the Architects and a brief film of a recent development of a new school at Wolverhampton.
The main emphasis of the design was the use of sustainable materials in the construction of the building which will enable natural lighting and ventilation; the architects were keen to involve all interested parties in the consultation process both in the design, siting and landscape and out door use of the school which will also incorporate facilities community use.
The Architects made reference to the Local Design Statement and to the work already undertaken by the reference group whose input was essential in the project.
Following the presentation the public were given an opportunity to ask questions the main points being raised as follows
a) Village Design Statement - this had been issued as part of the tender process Architype and will be used to held in the design of the sustainable building, siting and landscape of the project.
b) Concern that use of Sustainable materials may not be affordable within the cost of the project - the architects was satisfied that budget costs would enable the use of the materials for the principles and ideas as shown in the presentation of the recently designed and developed school at Wolverhampton although it was appreciated that school was a larger development.
e) It was important that the visual impact and position of the school on the site was not intrusive to local neighbours. The architects will be making visits to the site and will undertake an appropriate site analysis and will make a physical model of the school and produce appropriate compute 3D presentations.
f) It was important that adequate car parking was provided at the school which could also be used for community events to avoid parking on the roads.
g) Minimum security lighting would be incorporated into the design so that it did not become intrusive to local neighbours.
h) An appropriate travel plan should be produced and included in the planning application - traffic surveys would be undertaken with care in design of the car park.
C E Williams