What this consultation is about
This consultation is now closed. A report on the results of the consultation was presented to Cabinet 21 October 2014, agenda item 15. The Chellaston Fields area, on the boundary between Derby city and Derbyshire, has a number of planning applications submitted to each planning authority which will impact on education infrastructure for primary and secondary provision. The housing applications are:
- Chellaston Fields (Derbyshire) 450 dwellings
- Holmleigh Way (Derbyshire) 150 dwellings
- Holmleigh Way (Derby city) 45 dwellings
- Total 645 dwellings
This number of houses in this location would mean there would be an additional 180 places required in primary schools in the area, and an additional 120 places required for secondary education. These developments lie within the normal area of Sale & Davy CE Primary School and Homefields Primary School, and Chellaston Academy currently. The schools in both Derby city and in Derbyshire have reached capacity, and have sites which cannot be expanded to create the necessary accommodation for this level of demand for places. Pupil projections for the next five years indicate that the schools will continue to exceed their capacity. Because of these factors, it is imperative that Derby City Council and our plan for new provision to meet the demand for education from the new housing as it progresses. This issue was reported to elected members at the Cabinet meeting on 25 March 2014.
Housing development at Chellaston Fields
The developer of the site at Chellaston Fields has agreed to make available a site and contribute towards the cost of building a new primary school to serve the new housing development. The balance of funding for the new school building would be from contributions made by the developer(s) at Holmleigh Way. We and Derby City Council are working together to draft a strategy for secondary school provision, and this will be the subject of a future consultation.
Design
The design of the new primary school would be to Building Bulletin 103, the official guidance from the Department for Education on the facilities to be built for all schools. We would ensure that the design meets all requirements and is fit for purpose.
Process and timescale
The process to deliver a new primary school is a complex one with a variety of deadlines to meet for information, consultation and action. The Education Act 2011 requires that any new school will be an Academy or Free School and that a sponsor for the new school must be sought through a process of competition. The local authority manages the process and works with the sponsor and the developer to establish the new provision. The timescale for this process would follow this indicative calendar:
- consultation - 23 June 2014 to 25 July 2014
- Cabinet approval on whether to launch the formal process - Cabinet Meeting 9 September 2014
- advertise for expression of interest from potential sponsors - October 2014
- authority evaluation of proposals, including presentations - November 2014
- authority recommendation to the DfE - January 2015
- DfE in principal notification of successful promoter - March 2015
- conclusion of funding agreement - June 2015
Issues for consultation
There is a need to consider the issues arising from the proposed housing development and its impact on the local community and existing school(s). We would welcome your views on the principle of providing the primary school places that are required in a new primary school at Chellaston Fields. The outcome of this initial consultation will be reported to elected members as detailed in the timetable, and Cabinet will make a decision on whether to progress the proposal or not.
Ongoing consultation
If elected members decide to proceed with the proposal for a new primary school, there will be further consultation on the proposal to address the normal area (catchment area) of the new primary school, the stages of opening a new school, and how the new school would work alongside the existing schools among other issues. Under the 2011 Education Act, any new school that is opened would be an academy. The local authority would work to appoint a sponsor for the school and with that sponsor to establish the design and ethos of the new provision.