| Topic: | A reply from Wandsworth Council | |
| Posted by: | Nicholas Evans | |
| Date/Time: | 29/07/16 10:15:00 |
| Received this morning from Wandsworth Council: Dear Mr Evans, Thank you for your message of 20 July addressed to the Chief Executive about the opening of the new Oasis Primary School. I have been asked to reply and hope I can allay the concerns you are raising. As you state, the final completion date for the totality of the works to the school was reported in June as being delayed by several weeks. Potentially, this could have implications for the opening date for occupation by the school so we are monitoring the position, with the developer, very carefully. That said, progress with the works during the last month has been encouraging and we are currently still expecting the building to be ready for occupation in September. In terms of the recruitment of pupils, the school has had 39 places taken up for its first year, though further enquiries are being made and we expect that this number will grow as usually happens over the summer holidays. It is often the case that new schools do not fully recruit to their planned admissions limit in the first year of operation since they have yet to establish a “track record” and some prospective parents are reluctant to commit until they see the school actually in operation. We have recent experience of this in the borough, and all the places at the three schools in question (in Earlsfield, Tooting and Balham) were fully subscribed for the start of their second year. We are confident that this pattern will be repeated with Oasis Academy. You are correct that a number of Planning Conditions need to be discharged prior to the occupation of the buildings, including the requirement for a Parking Management Plan. Such a plan is also a requirement of the Easement Agreement between the Council and the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators. The Easement Agreement does not, in fact, require the explicit approval of the Conservators as such, but the Council is working closely with the school and the Conservators to agree a workable solution within the necessary timescales. Since this Plan is also the subject of a Planning Condition, the Conservators (and any other interested party) are able to make comments as necessary in response to the Plan as submitted. On the return of the common land, the Easement Agreement requires that, prior to the occupation or operation of the school or apartments “…the surface and vegetation (is) restored to the reasonable satisfaction of the Conservators”. The design and specification of all the external works, including the restoration of the common land, have been discussed in detail and agreed with the Conservators; they have now been contractually committed and, as things stand, will be at least substantially completed at the time when the school would wish to begin operations. If any works remain outstanding at that point, this will be due to factors such as the need to complete the planting (e.g. for the new trees) during the planting season to ensure the best chance of success and a continuing – though much reduced – contractor’s presence on the site whilst the remaining works are completed. Mike Bright Interim Head of Planning and Capital Delivery Finance Department, Property Services Wandsworth Borough Council |