The purpose of this consultation is to give the community the opportunity to express their thoughts on the proposed expansion at Cameley CEVC Primary School, before we, B&NES council, submit a planning application. This page provides you with background and information on the proposal, and we invite your comments via our online survey.
This consultation closes on Sunday 26 July 2020. The project team will review all comments submitted by this date, and use them to inform the planning application.
Rationale
We’re planning to expand the existing school accommodation at Cameley CEVC Primary School. This is due to an increase in pupil numbers, following housing development and population growth in the area. The Primary School’s current Planned Admission Number (PAN) is 20, with a maximum intake of 140 pupils. The proposals are to progressively increase capacity, to provide a 1FE (210 place) Primary School.
We’re proposing to do the following:
- Complete an internal minor refurbishment, to improve the existing ‘flow’ of the school buildings for all users.
- Extend the school hall and kitchen facilities.
- Build a new three classroom extension
We aim to minimise disturbance to the local community, school pupils and staff during construction. Strict commitments to this careful management of the works will be an important part of our agreement when we appoint contractors to do the work.
The new classroom extension will be in keeping with the style of the existing school design. Our plans aim to maximise how we meet the educational needs of the pupils, whilst having minimal impact on the local environment.
Site and context
Cameley CEVC Primary School is located in Temple Cloud, a village within the Chew Valley and around 10 miles from Bristol and Bath. The School itself was built in the 1980s, and is located on Meadway, a no-through road accessing around 35 residential properties and the village hall.
In terms of physical access for staff and pupils, the school has a drop-off point with a central island at the main entrance. However, this is not generally used by parents, as there is a turning head at the end of the road, adjacent to the village hall. There is currently a small staff and visitors’ car park with 7 spaces.
Externally, there is a tarmac hardstanding play area with a marked out netball pitch, a grass field with a marked out football pitch (a mini soccer u7/u8 size: 43m x 33m), a habitat area and a play area for pupils.
Layout
The existing layout of the school does not maximise the teaching potential. Some classrooms are smaller than the Government’s recommended BB103 standard and therefore do not maximise the number of pupils that could be taught together. In addition, other aspects of the school’s layout and facilities do not have the capacity to cope with the proposed increase in size and pupil numbers.
Following analysis of the existing site and proposed expansion, we are including the following features in the expansion proposal:
- 3 new classrooms
- A Learning Resource Centre / Library
- Extension of the school hall
- Extension of the school kitchen
- SEN / group room provision
- Extra toilet facilities, including pupil and accessible WCs
- Additional cloakroom and storage space
Proposed refurbishments to existing buildings
In order to combat the concealed and compact main reception entrance, we propose relocating the entrance to the front elevation. This will provide a new, larger reception entrance and external canopy. This secure entrance lobby and reception office will provide natural surveillance to the front of the school and will occupy a central spot to enter the school buildings.
Further internal alterations would include the following:
- Relocating the Head Teacher's office
- Providing an enlarged staff room
- Converting 2 smaller classrooms into a combined Year 1 room
- Alterations to the Reception Classroom
Proposed classroom single storey side extension
A single storey extension is proposed to the side off the main corridor, providing access and ‘flow’ through the building. This will provide three additional classrooms, as follows:
- Learning Resource Centre (Library)
- SEN group room
- Ancillary facilities (toilets and cloakroom space)
We propose that the classrooms face the playing field, with small spaces facing the hard play area.
Proposed hall and kitchen single storey extension
The existing hall and kitchen also require extensions in order to provide adequate accommodation for a 210-place primary school. It is envisaged this would be a simple extension of the existing form.
Proposed style and appearance
To help enhance the design and provide the school and pupils with a unique building that matches the school’s identity, we are proposing to use colours in some materials which match with the school’s logo.
The proposed single-storey extensions will aim to copy the existing form, while using a new palette of materials to enrich the existing School design.
The roof aspects will look to marry in with the existing formation. The largest new classroom block will replicate the style of the Side Elevation along the South West, with a small pitched central entrance.
Proposed landscaping
Currently there is a tarmac hard standing play area with a marked out netball pitch, a grass field with a marked out football pitch, a habitat area and play area. The proposal creates a loss of hard play area (where the proposed single-storey extension will be sited). However, the extensions will be located to retain the existing playing field and habitat areas. The use of the community playing fields for weekly sport is also retained.
Proposed access and transport
Across Bath and North East Somerset Council and at Cameley CEVC Primary School, sustainable travel measures encouraging pupils/parents to walk/scoot to school are already in place, with additional measures proposed as the school grows. The existing pedestrian links into the school site will be maintained. Suitable scooter parking is already provided, and improved cycle parking is proposed as part of the scheme.
The proposed car park design aims to increase the number of spaces to 15 spaces (from the current 7 spaces). Parents will continue to be asked to park in the adjacent village hall car park at the start and end of the school day.
The scheme design continues to enable delivery, refuse, and emergency service vehicles to access the site.
Proposed programme
Following the review of your comments, we will be looking to finalise our plans and the planning application, ready to submit the application in August 2020. If planning permission is achieved, we plan to start works towards the end of 2020. This would aim for completion by the end of 2021, allowing the progressive increase of pupils from September 2021.