by Alan Quick

PLANS for a multi-million pound new primary school and 25 new homes at Newton St Cyres were finally given the go-ahead at a meeting of Mid Devon District Council last Wednesday, October 5.

The planning application for the development and 120-pupil new school on a greenfield site off Station Road was held up following concerns relating to the road junction and traffic issues in Station Road.

Campaigners for the new school put forward a strong case for it at a pre-planning committee meeting held to brief councillors and staff from MDDC, the planning authority, the previous week.

Speakers at the pre-planning meeting included the Executive Head of the Exe Federation, John Joliffe and representatives from Kingswood Homes.

They said they believed a solution would be to purchase a 28 metre stretch of land each side of the road in Station Road, near the junction with the A377. It was believed that this could help solve the road junction and traffic issues which held up the scheme.

It was this solution which was accepted by councillors last Wednesday and therefore enabled the approval of the plan.

Mr Joliffe added that a walking bus, a breakfast club, after school clubs and encouraging children to walk or scooter to and from school would help stop the problem of traffic all trying to use Station Road within a short period of time at the beginning and end of each school day.

The developers agreed, in addition to the 28 metres of land, to purchase the narrowest section (about six to eight metres long) and give ownership of it to Devon County Council in the event that it may be needed to further ease a traffic issue near the junction.

The two local residents who complained about the traffic situation spoke at the pre-planning meeting and while they both raised concerns about the traffic they, like all the other parties in the room, were in favour of the plan for the school.

At the meeting last Wednesday, the planning application was passed unanimously and this means that the school and housing can now go ahead.

DELIGHTED

Mr Joliffe, speaking on BBC Radio Devon on Thursday morning, said he was "absolutely delighted" at the result.

Writing in the school’s newsletter, he commented: "It was great to watch the children on BBC Spotlight on Tuesday evening and see how confidently they presented their case.

"You may also have heard me on BBC Radio Devon talking with Councillor Peter Hare Scott (MDDC) about the new school.

"We are hoping that the initial work to get services on site will begin very soon and that building can commence early in the new year.

"At this stage we are hoping that the new school will be open in the autumn of next year but it is too early to say exactly when that will be.

"As soon as we know more and can let you know about the date for the move, we will do so.

"In the meantime, thank you again to everyone who supported the campaign for the new school and showed a united desire for the proposed new school to go ahead."

Cllr Hare Scott described the new school and homes plan as "essential" for Newton St Cyres.

He commented on the fact that the school could well have lost the government funding for the new school if the plan had not been approved at the meeting.

Mr Hare Scott said that the existing school was "not satisfactory" and called the decision a "triumph" for MDDC.

He confirmed that it was the improvements to the road and and highway issues which had held up the scheme.

TEMPORARY BUILDINGS

The current school was built in 1876 and most children are taught in temporary buildings that are no longer fit for purpose.

The design of the school means that there is no disabled access to the upstairs classroom and it is cramped and badly laid out for the needs of 21st century teaching and learning.

It is also noisy for children due to passing traffic on the A377.

FOOT, CYCLE OR SCOOTER

James Akhurst, Head of School at Newton St Cyres said that currently 33 per cent of children go to school by foot, cycle or scooter because the main road is so dangerous but this was likely to rise to 75 per cent when the school moved.

He put together a plan for a walking bus to run from the Parish Hall car park and the Crown and Sceptre pub’s car park to encourage families to walk.

He said: “The new school will be much more accessible on foot and we are delighted that so many children and parents are willing to walk to the new site.

"The school’s new Travel Plan reflects this commitment to reducing traffic congestion and we are confident that there will be far fewer cars turning into Station Road than there are dropping children off at the moment on the main road.”

He added that 12 families who live in Sweetham and beyond and need to come by car would not need to turn onto the A377 when the school was re-located to Station Road.

Staggering the arrival and leaving times of children and staff and providing a new breakfast club to accommodate children in the mornings were also part of the Travel Plan.

At the end of the day lots of children stay for clubs or after school care and these finish at various times from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Mr Akhurst explained: “The staggered start and end to the day will mean that the increase in traffic at the junction is very small and well spread out over the day, not all at once as some people might imagine.”