Forum Topic

New school in Acton park

Now advertised on Ealing's planning portal as decision pending. To replace the depot that is there at present, which is rather an eyesore. No doubt that school places are needed but is this the right place for it?

Chris Hurley ● 3995d35 Comments

As one of the "silent" parents who will be applying for Reception next September, I have researched the Ark chain and their attainment levels frequently surpass the national requirements.  A primary school in a parkside setting will provide an ideal learning environment for young children and in my opinion anything that dislodges the alcoholics that frequent the benches on the through route from Churchfield Road to Acton Vale is a benefit.  There will be some disruption whilst building is taking place but I am sure that the school will make every effort to integrate into the local park community.

Claudine Mann ● 3968d

ar as I understand the sister school has had great results. 'Outstanding'I am hoping the school will be built. It is needed. Places are awarded based on proximity to school so there should be no need to drive. Is there anything sweeter than the sound of children playing?... Ok maybe birds tweeting... But it's next to a train station... I don't believe that the noise will be a big issue. These children will be running our country, they need good schools. I am pro and I will be applying to the school for my children.Agree - council should make consultation easier, but they have had meetings about it... I attended one earlier in the year.

LJ Pearce ● 3968d

And the question no-one's asking: are these the right people to run a school? Has anyone studied the published achievement results from their other schools, to confirm if Ark are actually making improvements to existing school performance? How do they achieve, in comparison to other schools? It's really crucial, because this school will exist for some time, wherever it is located. I also agree that the rather offhand manner of only consulting the residents of Bryant Court as an afterthought is insensitive, and it would be hoped that the design of the school will take their needs into account, especially with regard to noise levels.

Samantha Hill ● 3968d

Ultimately people can build what they like as long as it is compliant with planning law. In this case the school will want to be a good neighbour and will probably listen to what local people have to say - it is they rather than the Council that have the power to make changes to the planning application at this stage.Interestingly Hounslow have started putting planning applications in the Chiswick e-mail newsletter which is a good initiative as long as the newspaper isn't totally excluded from the process. They are also now appearing on Twitter as well. This is perhaps something that Ealing Council should look at doing.

Andy Jones ● 3970d

Completely agree with the comments from Julian Smith - any development should be sensitive to the environment - with an adequate  provision of parking and landscaping. Of course, nobody wants a school on their doorstep, yet many silent readers who are parents will agree that the desperate shortage of schools in Acton has to be addressed somewhere and somehow - for both primary and secondary schools, in particular.

Tatiana Collins ● 3970d

It is good to hear that the Council planning portal is going to be rebuilt.  It's usually down or broken, which isn't fair to residents.  Having said it's good that the Council planning portal is to be rebuilt, I'm aware that for a period of time, perhaps 3 weeks, perhaps longer, the public will not be able to access the portal re planning notifications. What use is that and is that fair?

Angela White ● 3983d

Precisely so!

Sara Nathan ● 3983d

A question to the Councillors viewing this thread:Do you understand what local residents actually want? Do you understand that by consulting them properly, and taking their views into account, you can actually gain their support? Given that they have to vote for you in order for you to hold your position isn't that important to you for personal reasons as well as to be fair to others?We all want more school places. The schools have to go somewhere. This may be the perfect location. But maybe there are additional measures which need to be taken to minimise any negative impacts. The locals will be the best people to ask. And as part of that asking the proposals should be explained clearly to them. Asking people to read hundreds of pages of a planning application is not the way to do that.

Julian Smith ● 3983d

The Bryant Court residents weren't invited to the consultation at the Ark school and the consultants only agreed to go there after a serious exchange of views.The Residents Association there is concerned about access and disruption - the entrance to the school is within the park with vehicular access stopping literally outside the Bryant Court gates. Playground noise could be minimised by reasonable landscaping - but I can find no evidence of that. But then I haven't gone through all the dozens of documents.

Sara Nathan ● 3984d

That's good to hear. I guess I didn't receive it because it's not within my neighbourhood... I'm up by Acton Main Line

Julian Smith ● 3988d

For this school project there was a leaflet drop and community discussion - see my earlier post in this discussion thread.

Paul Webster ● 3988d

Good news. But perhaps it would have been wise to arrange that before stopping postal consultation...

Julian Smith ● 3988d

As reported at South Acton ward forum this week, a new planning portal is currently under development and should go live in early 2016.

Josh Blacker ● 3988d

My opinion is that the 'planning portal' on Ealing Council's website is not fit for purpose. There should be an easy way to see an overview of each application. The fact that applications with potentially widespread impacts are treated the same as a loft conversion is ridiculous...

Julian Smith ● 3988d

Hear, hear. Although there must be questions about any encroachment onto public space. Have to admit I've not looked at the application to see whether that is the case here(?)

Julian Smith ● 3988d

Would it be too much to hope that with the school almost inside the park we could see a crack down on unsociable behaviour in Acton park, men drinking in full view despite the ban o in the park , then urinating in full view of people entering the park.

Kim Rugg ● 3989d

Paul - thanks for this. There are a lot of documents to look at! It seems like they are incorporating the park rangers house into their plans and are not anticipating many car drop offs. And there will be only 1 car parking space for the school, which will be a disabled space.

Chris Hurley ● 3989d

From the planning application:Public Consultation4.4. Public consultation by the applicant on this application is not currently a legal requirement under section 122the Localism Act 2011. In this case the applicant has considered it good practice to consultant localresidents and businesses, and appointed consultants specialising in public consultation to undertake publicconsultation on the proposals. The consultants contacted a number of local ward councillors and keystakeholders to offer one-to-one meetings or invite to a Public Consultation Event on the proposals, whichwas held at ARK Priory Primary School on 20th May 2015. A meeting with residents of Bryant Court (adjacentto the site) was also undertaken on 5th June 2015. Further details are set out in the accompanying Statementof Community Involvement.4.5. In summary, attendees at the event indicated a good level of support for the new school (with 27 out of 35respondents supporting the proposals). Key issues raised included concerns about parking and drop-off,concern about noise during construction and during operation of the school, and a desire to see Acton ParkLodge in occupied use and to see the garden to the Lodge building retained. Further details of this event andother public consultation undertaken are set out in the Statement of Community Involvement, whichaccompanies the planning application.4.6. The proposals have taken account of comments made during consultation and sought to respond to theseas appropriate in the proposed scheme design. From the SCIThe community groups we contacted include:x Action Actonx Acton Historyx Churchfield Community Associationx Ealing Civic Societyx Friends of Acton Parkx Acton Park Conservation PanelWe will continue to maintain contact with these individuals and groups as the planningapplication progressesPublicising the consultationWe publicised the consultation to the flats and houses surrounding the site by distributing aninformation letter. The objective of the letter was to invite the local community to the publicexhibition, to communicate information about the scheme, and to seek feedback from those notable to attend the public exhibition. We distributed around 650 copies of the letter, which weredelivered by our in-house team to ensure correct delivery. There is a lot more in the SCI.

Paul Webster ● 3989d

The details have now been uploadedhttp://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/PlanNet/search.asp?authentication=12345&id=PP/2015/4977

Paul Webster ● 3989d

The details have now been uploadedhttp://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/PlanNet/search.asp?authentication=12345&id=PP/2015/4977

Paul Webster ● 3989d

Where will the actual entrance to the school be-for pupils/parents?  2 form entry, plus Nursery to begin with. Thats a lot of extra cars. Where will they park? I agree with Sara re the noise issue for the residents in the  flats. Also on a sunny day, It will spoil the peacefulness in the park. And are we going to lose all the benches down at the bottom entrance? Not be able to get in or out the bottom gate while the works take place/new park entrance is built?

Apple Leiper ● 3989d

I don't think people complaining about the noise the children might make would be treated seriously. If it were valid grounds for objection no new school would ever be built.There is drop off point close to the level crossing due to the Maples Nursery. The logical point for dropping off for the school would be opposite the Goldsmith's Almshouses - no resident's parking spaces would be compromised. They are probably mainly used by dog walkers at the relevant times and they would quickly learn to avoid busy times.

Andy Jones ● 3990d

whatever the labour council has agreed with the school it wont be what local residents want...... so local residents had better get themselves organised before another Acton planning disaster happens.......

Dee Cook ● 3990d

Actually the depot was very quiet. and not that used - which is probably why it's available! I think the elderly neighbours are somewhat concerned about shrieking play time/pick up. I would have no syympathy if they moved to near an existing primary school and then complained, but they moved to a quiet park which is about to change.I suspect some decent landscaping round the edges would help but dont know if this is proposed.

Sara Nathan ● 3990d

'drop off in Churchfield Road............'by the train barrier....... an accident waiting to happen with speeding cars already rushing to get through barrier before it comes down

Dee Cook ● 3990d

Access will be very awkward from the Uxbridge Road so parents would need to be encouraged to drop off at Churchfield Road. Can't see any potential problems with noise and landscaping as a school isn't going to be any worse than a depot.

Mark Evans ● 3992d

How can there be a consultation with a closing date if there are no plans to see?My mother's flats are the nearest neighbours - they are worried about noise, landscaping, and drop off and pick up arrangements - though I think not opposed to the scheme.But surely they need to be properly consulted.The council now send out no letters and, if they are not making the plans available, surely are not consulting properly.

Sara Nathan ● 3993d

Thanks! Please let me know if/when they do, as I am one of the nearest neighbours

Chris Hurley ● 3994d

I have sent an email to the web site team to see if they can find it ...

Paul Webster ● 3994d

Are there actual plans - I can't find them?

Chris Hurley ● 3994d

From the application:http://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=183473Construction of 2 storey 2 form entry Primary School (Use class D1) (Following the demolition of depot buildings Use Class B2); Change of use of Park Lodge building from Park Rangers base (Use class D2) to educational use (Use class D1); Associated works including new pedestrian entrance from Acton Park, amended vehicular and pedestrian access from The Vale and landscape and boundary treatment works (Regulation 3 - Council's own development) (Departure Application)

Paul Webster ● 3994d

There were plenty of schools around until the council closed them and sold the land

Christopher Bell ● 3995d

I for on think it is a great location for a school and would want my child to go there if he was starting school now. I believe it will be a primary academy. Currently their reception is in the Ark priory premises.Hopefully open to all. Far preferable to a block of luxury flats to be sold to foreign property investors.

Kim Rugg ● 3995d

What kind of school.....private religious junior senior?

Dee Cook ● 3995d

Always seemed a very strange location for a school to me. And there is already an Ark school just around the corner!

Apple Leiper ● 3995d