Reasons for Objection

The Kenilworth Civic Society considers that the allocation of this site for educational uses and other compatible uses (i.e sports facilities) is unsound because:

a) The Local Planning Authority has not involved the community in the preparation of this part of the Plan.

It was not included in the Revised Development Strategy published for public consultation by Warwick District Council in June 2013. Chapter 5 (Strategic Development Sites and Infrastructure) para. 5.4.13, of that document assessed the need for new education provision resulting from proposed housing developments in Kenilworth. It made no reference to a new site for Kenilworth School, or a new primary school at Southcrest Farm. On the contrary it said that "there is a need to provide capacity for a one form entry primary school on site, located towards the northern end of the (Thickthorn/Glasshouse Lane) site. In terms of secondary provision, offsite contributions would be necessary to support Kenilworth School which will have capacity if places are provided to those within the priority area first."

Furthermore the Draft Local Plan proposes to remove Southcrest Farm from the green belt without prior consultation. (See the Kenilworth Civic Society's objections to Policy DS19.) This area of Kenilworth is already due to lose green belt land to the High Speed 2 railway line. HS2 will cut across Kenilworth Golf Club's land in Crewe Lane. We believe that it is inappropriate to sacrifice more green belt land to development in this area.

b) The justification for Site No. ED2 depends on a circular argument, i.e. Kenilworth School will expand more than envisaged in the Revised Development Strategy because it is giving up its existing sites for housing developments, something that was not envisaged by Revised Development Strategy. The proposed change of use of Kenilworth School's Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane sites was not included in the Strategy, therefore the community has not been formally consulted on it.

c) The Sustainability Appraisal has not assessed the suitability of Southcrest Farm as a site for the provision of a secondary school, 6th form centre and primary school. It does not appear to be an appropriate site for a primary school designed to serve the new housing estate at Thickthorn/Glasshouse Lane. We assume that the new primary school is intended for this purpose. The Draft Local Plan does not suggest that it will be a replacement for the nearby Park Hill Junior School, which would be a possible alternative.

d) Putting Kenilworth Secondary School on one new site will not solve the problem of the size of the school. It is already the largest secondary school (maintained sector) in Warwickshire. Ofsted, in its report on Kenilworth School dated February 2013, said "The school is much larger than the average secondary school with a sixth form." The number of pupils on roll at the time was 1750. In our opinion two new schools on the existing sites would be preferable to one huge school of around 2000 pupils on a new site