Cambridgeshire County Council plans to open a new primary school in the north of Soham for the start of the academic year, in September 2013.
The new school will provide primary school places for existing residents of the town, and for those who will occupy the new housing proposed in Soham when it is built.
The site proposed by the County Council for the new primary school is within the ownership of the Council's Farms Estate. The site has already been designated for education use within the East Cambridgeshire District Council Soham Master plan, which seeks to enhance and develop the Northern Gateway to the town. Vehicular access to the proposed school will be via a new road from the A142 roundabout, and pedestrian access will be from The Shade and Kingfisher Drive.
The new primary school will be constructed in two phases, each phase providing a total of 210 places for pupils aged 4 to 11. The accommodation will comprise general teaching spaces and a two room pre-school facility for 2 to 4 year olds
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After working on a design for the school for some months, with a group of key stakeholders, the Council is satisfied that the plans are sufficiently advanced to share with the wider community.
A planning application will be submitted in March 2012, for both phases of the school building, and the first phase will be completed in time for the academic year starting in September 2013.
On Thursday 23 February 2012, a public exhibition of the plans and a drop-in session is being held
at The Pavilion, Fountain Lane, Soham, between 10.00 am and 8.00 pm,
at which County Council officers and members of the design team will be available to talk, and answer questions, about the design proposals in more depth. Copies of these proposals are available to download below.
This consultation forms a part of the design development for the new school, prior to the finalisation of design proposals and the submission of a planning application in March this year. It provides an opportunity to comment upon, and influence, many elements of the design. At this time many decisions and choices have yet to be made.
The Council is seeking, and would welcome, your comments and thoughts about the design proposals overall, but especially matters relating to:
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The appearance of the building, including material and colours, and how this supports the ambitions of the school and local community;
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Access arrangements to the school by foot, cycle or car; and
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How the facilities at the school could contribute to the enhancement of community provision in the north of the town.
Once a formal planning application has been submitted a further period of formal public consultation will also be held, providing the opportunity to comment further on the design proposals.
The planning application will include details of the comments received during this consultation, and will provide the opportunity for the Council to demonstrate how these comments have been considered and acted upon, in relation to finalising the design proposals.
If you have any comments on our proposals please contact Ian Trafford, Education officer, by email at:
ian.trafford@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01223 699803