East Leake to get temporary school while new £13m building takes shape

The temporary school will be based off Sheepwash Way in East Leake. (Picture: Google).
By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter

A temporary school to accommodate 120 pupils in East Leake has been approved ahead of plans to build a permanent school nearby.

But one councillor warned about the prospect of a “year of hell” for nearby residents after fears over parking and access at the temporary school were raised.

Members of Nottinghamshire County Council’s planning and rights of way committee debated the plans, at the new Rempstone Road development, during a meeting on Tuesday (December 14).

The proposals have been in the pipeline for several months after the permanent, 210-place school and 26-place nursery were first unveiled last year.

Plans are in place to have the permanent school open by September 2023, in a project which will cost the council more than £13 million to deliver.

However, Tuesday’s plans will see the temporary, smaller, school built nearby in order to meet the growing need for education places in the Rushcliffe village in the meantime.

The temporary ‘education village’ will be constructed with a view to opening in September 2022, accommodating more than half of the expected school places ahead of the larger school opening.

Documents reveal the temporary school will be based off Sheepwash Way, near the existing housing development on Rempstone Road, and will feature a permanent, lighted path, soft play areas and car parking.

A temporary, single-point access road will be created to serve the short-term site, with the school to use the same mobile classroom units from a similar temporary site constructed by the council in Edwalton for the same purpose.

Members of the committee were told the temporary access road will be removed once the permanent school is open, and restored to its previous greenery to protect the environment of the area.

The committee was told the temporary site is “necessary” to meet the growing demand for education places and to prevent children in East Leake – including those on the new development – from going to schools outside the village.

But concerns were raised over the impact the temporary school could have on residents, with a traffic regulation order planned to “mitigate the impact” of disruption on nearby homes.

The committee heard traffic issues from the temporary site will be “greater than anticipated” due to its single access point, leading to warnings from some councillors.

Cllr Philip Owen (Con), who previously chaired the children and young people’s committee, said: “There’s no doubt we really have got to give approval for this temporary accommodation because there simply will not be enough school places for the children of East Leake.

“Yet, on the other hand, I fear we’re unleashing a year of hell on the residents in the estate adjacent to this.”

He added: “I have every sympathy with the residents and we must ensure when the final school is built, that issues they will suffer [over parking and traffic] do go away.”

Similar concerns over parking and access were raised in what one councillor described as a “balancing act” between the temporary traffic issues and the need for school places.

Cllr Paul Henshaw (Lab), who represents Mansfield West, said: “[Residents] will certainly have a year of disruption but that disruption has got to be balanced against the new school and the places for the children.

“On reflection, I think we must pass this.”

Once open, both the temporary and permanent schools will be operated by the Spencer Academies Trust.

The temporary school was given unanimous approval by members of the committee, with conditions set on parking, traffic and the restoration of the land following the opening of the permanent school.

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