Planning Application Withdrawn

The planning application has been withdrawn by Braywick Court School/BPET.

Hopefully the School & Bellevue Place Education Trust, their backers have found an alternative site, or a 'split site' solution that won't involve building on the formal Gardens at Braywick Park, taking over the Nature Centre, the Green Belt issues, the overdevelopment on the existing site, the highways, traffic & parking problems & doesn't have such a big, negative impact on Braywick Park & the surrounding area. 

We're not against a smaller school, or part of a split site school on the Winbury site so will be interested to see what comes next.

More news when we have it.

New 'Public Consultation' - Please fill in form or write BEFORE FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER

Braywick Court School held an Exhibition of their plans for the site on Wednesday. The plans still involve a massive overdevelopment of the former Winbury School site, use of Public Open Space from Braywick Park, taking over the Nature Centre & building a replacement one ON BRAYWICK PARK. 

Braywick Park is a beautiful park, and is Green Belt. This level of development is required because Bellevue Place Education Trust wants this 'Free' School to accommodate 210 pupils, whereas before, when the site was Winbury School it only ever had at most, 90.

There is a consultation form about these plans (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FORM) which MUST BE EMAILED TO rebecca.skinner@eu.jll.com BY FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER.

The plans can be seen on here:  http://www.braywickcourtschool.co.uk/public-exhibition/ The location of the Nature Centre is right on the last page of the 'Traffic Assessment' - [also at the bottom of this post to save you the trouble of digging it out!]

The form is a pdf which you can’t fill in on a computer easily so you will need to use adobe reader or another programme that allows you to fill in forms - or just copy the questions in and send as a letter/email.

Once you fill it in, please email to Rebecca Skinner by FRIDAY 31 October at rebecca.skinner@eu.jll.com.

(If you can’t open the file so that you can fill in the form, just write your own email, stating your name and address, and answering all or some of the questions which are listed below.)

  

In answering the questions, at this stage - short answers are enough. Types of comments you could make for the questions are as follows: BUT PLEASE USE YOUR OWN WORDING, AND NOT WHAT YOU SEE BELOW. Write what you think, and about the issues that matter most to you.

1. Do you support the design of the school’s infill extension?

NO – overdevelopment of the site; cramming a quart into a pint size plot; far too big; far too high; whatever you want to say about it.  

2. Do you agree with the proposed location of the Nature Centre?

There should be no need for a replacement Nature Centre which means loss of open space and green belt land. They want to take over the existing Nature Centre for classrooms for the school, so are having to build a replacement on the park. As mentioned above, the plans for the new Nature Centre are hidden away on the final page of the 'Traffic Assessment' (wonder why?) - we've dug it out and posted below.

3. Do you agree with the design of the proposed new Nature Centre?

Same as above

4. Do you agree with the proposal to close vehicular access to the school site from Hibbert Road?

They are referring to the entrance on the corner of Hibbert Road opposite Malvern House. It's pretty obvious this entrance should be closed on highway safety grounds anyway.

5. Do you agree with the proposal for school drop off and collection to be located in the existing car park to the north of the site?

No. Is this realistic? Are parents happy with it? Are all parents currently using the drop off and collection? Can’t see it being used in the winter when it is dark and raining etc. THE SCHOOL CAN'T MAKE PARENTS USE THIS FACILITY. Watch our video for the realities of how they say it is supposed to work... Write whatever you think.

Do you have any other comments on the draft proposals for the school or nature centre?  If so, please outline these in the box below.

Braywick Park shouldn’t be ruined by this proposed development which is on open space land and in the green belt. This is not an appropriate site for a school for 210 pupils as it is far too small. There are highway safety issues which have not been addressed. One could go on and on. Just have a look through all the posts on this site for whatever resonates with you - but most importantly PLEASE EMAIL THEM BY FRIDAY OCTOBER 31st.

-------

If you can’t fill in the form, then you can copy the questions below and answer as you see fit, and then send your email to rebecca.skinner@eu.jll.com.

1. Do you support the design of the school’s infill extension?  

2. Do you agree with the proposed location of the Nature Centre?    

3. Do you agree with the design of the proposed new Nature Centre?   

4. Do you agree with the proposal to close vehicular access to the school site from Hibbert Road?  

5. Do you agree with the proposal for school drop off and collection to be located in the existing car park to the north of the site?

Do you have any other comments on the draft proposals for the school or nature centre?  If so, please outline these in the box below.

--------

Here is the image of the proposed new location for the new Nature Centre they want to build on Braywick Park (they only want to do this because they want to take over the existing Nature Centre building for the School - because they want the school to accommodate more than twice the number of pupils it previously did when it was Winbury School - if they stuck to the original numbers, none of this would be necessary).

We understand this to be a prefabricated log cabin. Hardly a match for an early 19th century building with a heritage link to the town from a local benefactor as well. 

The original 'Consultation Document' did not mention any building plans, only 'refurbishment'.

The FAQ page on the Prospectus/'Consultation Document' - meant to inform parents, and local residents of the School's intentions only mentions plans for refurbishment - nothing about the large expansion and building works now planned for the site and certainly nothing about appropriating the Nature Centre & building a new one right in the middle of Braywick Park. Funny that...

CLICK HERE to find out a few simple things you can do to help!

Approval & Consultation Process? Most local residents NOT consulted.

On 27 March 2014 RBWM Cabinet considered a report about Braywick Court School lease. 

The minutes of that meeting approved the granting of a 125 year lease at peppercorn rent to Bellevue Place Educational Trust in respect of the former Winbury School premises, the Braywick Nature Centre plus public open space between the Nature Centre and the school buildings.

The Cabinet Report notes, inter alia, “....that the school need to increase the number and size of classrooms, have access to a hall, staff parking and pupil drop off areas; the agreed proposal is that instead of building a large extension to incorporate all the school’s needs, the Bellvue Place Educational Trust will build a smaller extension and take over the adjacent Council owned Nature Centre space. The school will apply for planning permission for any extension to the existing building and for the new Nature Centre. Only if planning permission is granted will the lease for the Braywick Nature Centre be entered into.” The report also notes that “....the area of land between the two buildings is currently designated Public Open Space. This will become enclosed and will be for the sole use of the school.”

Elsewhere - at para 14.1 - the Report states that “Braywick Court School has carried out its own consultations with the public. Prior to disposal of the open space RBWM has to advertise the notice of intention to dispose of the land in question in accordance with s123 Local Government Act 1972.” And at 14.2 that “Public consultation will take place on the planning application which will be submitted by the Bellvue Place Educational Trust."

However, most local (i.e. Hibbert Road) residents did not receive the school's consultation document. 1

Residents on Gas Lane were not sent any consultation documents & weren't even notified of the 'public consultation' on 8th July either. 

Gas lane is just off Hibbert Road opposite the Park very close to where they want to build the new Nature Centre Building. In the middle of the park.

The document reads as a prospectus for prospective parents, which appears to have been the thrust of the so called consultation - sent to libraries, media, religious groups etc. Not to local residents. 

We were told in one email exchange2 that only 11 people responded to the whole consultation exercise, and the Head Teacher claims3 that nearly 60% were local residents and that 89% were in support. Does this constitute local consultation?

In short, most local residents believe that consultation was inadequate and that approval was rubber stamped.

RBWM has published notice on 14 August 2014 that it has agreed to a lease to Bellvue Place Educational Trust land adjoining Braywick Nature Centre; the land described in this notice is area C as referred to above. As at 19 August no planning application has been submitted and we are told that the application is expected to be submitted in the Autumn.

Work started in early August on the school buildings and the school is set to open in September with one reception class of 28 pupils.

How can the RBWM Cabinet make a decision, on 27 March, endorsing the lease before the the school has submitted any plans for approval?! 

1 10 Households that we know of have said they did not receive a consultation document.

2 Email dated 25 July from Simon Ward, Finance and Operations Director for BPET
3 Email dated 22 July from Mrs Gemma Donnelly, Head Teacher

CLICK HERE to find out a few simple things you can do to help!

Why the 'Walking Bus' plan will not work. Is it just a PR smokescreen to placate locals' concerns over parking & traffic?

The Headteacher of the school has stated that parents will not be using the car park beside the school. This may be her intention, but she cannot make this commitment on behalf of the parents. She cannot enforce this. Some parents will ignore this and as the school grows in size this will inevitably lead to parking problems.  

As we all know, the car park was not adequate when Winbury was in operation with far fewer children. Hibbert Road and Gas Lane are completely unsuitable for roadside parking for the parents. 

The intended "walking bus" or "park & stride scheme" from the Rifle Club/Maidenhead Target Shooting Club car park depends on a lot of parental co-operation and some organisation provided by the school. In bad weather some parents will not be happy for their children to walk from the Rifle Club car park and will want to drop them at the car park near the school. 

This scheme is something that the Head is intending but she cannot force the parents to comply. Even if the scheme appears to work well at the beginning when the school is still very small, it will be much more difficult to enforce once the school grows to full size.

Is this 'walking bus' scheme just a PR smokescreen to placate locals' concerns over the parking & traffic problems, so that they can push through planning permission?

It should also be noted that the road leading to the Rifle Club Car Park is only single track, with no space for traffic passing in both directions. Surely this will end up gridlock with the parents of 210 pupils trying to access it at drop off & pick up times? Have the council considered this? Will they have to build a wider new road, taking up space on the Braywick Sports Fields? (There's a rugby pitch right where they would have to do that so good luck..).

The car park adjacent to the Nature Centre is a public car park and should be available for use by other local residents who walk in the park or visit the Nature Centre. If the school encroaches on this car park it will be reducing the ability of local residents to use a local public amenity, and if they are forced to park on Hibbert Road this would be unsafe.

When construction of the enlarged school begins, presumably all the construction traffic for the work will have to use the public car park. This again is extremely disruptive. It will cause noise and disturbance to neighbouring residents and will also take up space in the public car park.

Remember, when the site was Winbury School there were only at most 90 pupils - Braywick Court School has been 'rubber stamped' to eventually have 210. That's almost 2 and a half times as many children. They intend to take over the existing Nature Centre building, build a large 2 storey development on the site, not in keeping with current architecture, on PUBLIC OPEN SPACE AND build a big brand new building RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BRAYWICK PARK.

Not cool.


CLICK HERE to find out a few simple things you can do to help!

"If they can get away with it, there will be more loss of greenbelt land, which is our heritage, and it is only the public which will oppose this loss"

Well put by Mr. ME Lewington in a letter to the Maidenhead Advertiser this week.

"If they can get away with it, there will be more loss of greenbelt land, which is our heritage, and it is only the public which will oppose this loss."

Original planned site for the new Nature Centre was smaller & in different position. Negotiation trick?

In the original rough plans for the proposed new Nature Centre it was to the left of the car park, and smaller - not right in the middle of the park as now proposed.

Is this what they are actually aiming for but are asking for something more outrageous as a negotiating technique to get the original plan accepted as a 'concession'?

Building out on this beautiful park to allow the free school to operate at twice the former school's numbers just isn't cool - wherever they decide to TRY TO put the new building.

Is this because the council is desperate for school places because of their own previous planning decisions and allowing overdevelopment in the area?

First rough plans showing area 'H' as location of proposed new building (click to enlarge):

'Expert' photoshop annotation of latest plans for new building, area to left in yellow was original proposed position (click to enlarge):

Plans for new Nature Centre to be built on Braywick Park

The new Braywick Court School will be on the site formerly occupied by Winbury School.

When it was operated as Winbury School there were 86 pupils.

Braywick Court School aim to have 210 (by 2020). RBWM Council have approved this already. Without public consultation.

In order to accommodate this (almost 2.5 times the original size) expansion the School/Council want to take over the existing Nature Centre buildings, and build a new one, right in the middle of Braywick Park. 

They also want to build a large 2 storey extension/development on the existing Winbury site - not in keeping with the existing architecture, most of which is on PUBLIC OPEN SPACE.

There will be no additional parking (at least they're not trying to build a bigger car park too!), despite the School now being for 210 pupils compared to 86 previously. 

Not cool.

See the rest of the plans here: http://www.braywickcourtschool.co.uk/location/