Objections

Some of the objections raised by local residents are listed here. There are a few links in the text to further information.

1. It's not in the best interests of local children

* Children flourish in the familiarity and security of smaller, more easily negotiated school communities. They do not like huge schools.

* There is insufficient space for children in the expansion plans. This was one of the reasons that earlier proposals to expand on the Sefton Park site were rejected.

* A large number of new houses are now built near the original Brunel College site and with many young families moving in and this is exactly where a school is needed.

* Ashley House and the Scout Hut supports a unique infrastructure of facilities for children and young people. The regrettable closure of the Youth Club is one of the first moves in dismantling this infrastructure.

* No satisfactory alternatives have been offered to the Scout and Guide groups.

2. Traffic

* Traffic is horrendous along Williamson and St. Bartholomews Roads during school drop-off/pick-up times with parents triple parking up to 6 cars along the length of the road. It is a miracle no-one has been hurt already. Expanding the school by 50% will make this much, much worse.

* Parking for local residents will be made difficult because much of the road will be made "No Parking" during school drop-off and pick-up times.

3. Unnecessary Destruction Of Historic Building

* Ashley House is one of the few remaining historic houses in the Area. It's fine architectural style contributes to the ambience of the neighbourhood.

The City Council clearly have no appreciation of the historic value of this building. The Council should be looking to responsible conservation of this building and sympathetically upgrading and insulating the inside for modern low energy use. Such an approach will have significantly lower carbon footprint and disruption than the proposed demolition, clearing the site and starting from scratch.

4. Loss Of Green Space.

* We will lose all of the green space around the Scout Hut and most of that in the grounds of Ashley House.

5. Secretive Council

* The changed plans were drawn up in secret and without public consultation.

* The change from the original plan (of relocating the Junior School to the Brunel Field site) has not been fully explained.