Instow: new primary school

THE PROBLEM

Instow's community primary school is a hugely popular and successful school, whose reputation and consequent growth have contributed to it almost bursting out of its characterful but aged buildings. Neither does it have much in the way of sports facilities, nor the space to develop them. While the school cheerfully makes the very best of what it has got, there has long been a consensus within both the local education authority and the parish council that a complete new build on a fresh site is needed.

THE OBJECTIVE

Devon County Council's next three-year schools capital programme will run from 2011-14. Even to get to the starting gate of being considered for inclusion in that programme, a site must be secured, planning permission granted and a design worked up. The objective is to achieve all three in good time for 1 April 2011.

PROGRESS TO DATE

The case for a new school has been recognised for years but there has been little progress: it has seemed like a case of one step forward, two steps back. Nick has had a dialogue with both the school and the county for some years on the issue. Devon County Council finally settled on a preferred site, although this would have necessitated compulsory purchase, and in late 2007 submitted a planning application which later ran aground. They now seem to be accepting that they must go back to the drawing board and find another site.

NEXT ACTION

Nick has recently had informal discussions with local landowners in order to sound out potential availability of other possible sites for a new school. He is confident that there are genuine possibilities and has handed details over to the county council's estates officers. They in turn are opening dialogues with the landowners which could lead to formal negotiations in due course.

Nick will remain in contact with the school and the county council, and will help chase progress firstly in securing another site, and then in progressing with design and planning.

Instow school's web pages