Subject to planning permission anyone? Or is this already a done deal?

http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Braywick-Court-School-to-open-with-double-the-space-18062014.htm

Another promo article in the Maidenhead Advertiser recently:

"Braywick Court School has announced it will open with double the amount of space than it had originally thought."

"The second phase, which sees the school incorporating Braywick Nature Centre, will begin after Christmas."

Oh, so its already decided then???

Where's the 'SUBJECT TO PLANNING PERMISSION' in all this?

They need double the amount of space because the Borough gave permission for the School to operate at double the capacity the site ever did when it was Winbury School.

Oh and by the way... for that to happen they want to build a new building right in the middle of Braywick Park. (But nobody mentions that in the article.)

Not cool.

Click image to enlarge

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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):

RBWM promoting the School & Nature Centre in the Press, but not mentioning putting a big new building in the middle of Braywick Park.

http://www.windsorobserver.co.uk/news/maidenhead/articles/2014/04/04/99137-nature-centre-to-move-as-part-of-package-to-bring-free-school-to-a-town/

Spinning the proposed development based on the financial side - but at what environmental cost?

No mention of:

-The fact that the Nature Centre is being kicked out of its existing location into what is a smaller building

-It will involve a large development & building right in the middle of a beautiful park

-This building on the park is only necessary because they decided the new School should accept 2.5 times the number of pupils (210 over original 86) the previous one (Winbury) had - and they want to take over the existing Nature Centre building - which is very successful and a wonderful local resource as is.

-Completely inadequate parking arrangements & traffic problems created by this doubling of the number of pupils.

"A NATURE centre will be moved to a new home to make way for a free school. The Royal Borough cabinet has approved proposals to lease the former Winbury School site, in HIbbert Road, Maidenhead, the Braywick Nature Centre and adjoining pieces of land to the Bellevue Education Trust to set up a new free school – the Braywick Court School. The Royal Borough has spent £716,939 on buying, maintaining and providing security for the old school since they purchased it in October 2012 with the intention of the school being retained for educational use, but the funding for the new school will come entirely from the Education Funding Agency (EFA). Speaking at the meeting on Thursday last week (27/3), cllr Simon Dudley, cabinet member for finance, said: “From a local taxpayer’s perspective, RBWM has put £700,000 into this, but I think the EFA will put £1.1m into it. “We are getting a new, one-form entry primary school for £700,000 when we are building another, two-form primary school [Oldfield Primary’s relocation to Bray Road] nearby for £8.4m. That is tremendous value for money for our residents.” The Royal Borough has also secured a grant of up to £400,000 from the EFA to build a replacement nature centre elsewhere in Braywick Park. The trust will need to increase the number and size of classrooms, have access to a hall, staff parking and pupil drop off areas and it has been deemed easier to make this happen by building a smaller extension incorporating the nature centre rather than a larger extension to the former Winbury site. The school will expand into the nature centre once a replacement centre has been constructed. Cllr Michael John Saunders, cabinet member for property and planning, said: “The nature centre is a bit tired, but still perfectly workable, but with this plan, we get a brand new, shiny centre paid for by the EFA. This is an extraordinarily good piece of news for local residents.” The Trust hopes to open the Braywick Court School in September. The site will be leased for 125-years at a peppercorn rate."