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CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED SCHOOL ESTATECHANGES IN THE WEST END:SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS FROM PARENTSMarch 2009
The Council's proposal can be found at:www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/reports/69-2009.pdf The city council must be commended on its aims to provide “new schools with a high-quality teaching and learning environment with modern resources “ and to ensure that “new buildings are energy efficient and the number of places is matched with theprojected rolls”.During the current consultation we must seek to determine whether the proposal is agood way to achieve these aims for our children. If it is then we should support it. If it isnot then the proposal should be rejected and a fresh appraisal of the options soughtinvolving all stakeholders from the outset.This document summarises some of the serious questions and concerns raised by agroup of parents based on their current understanding of the proposal.If you share all or some of the concerns and questions outlined below, please provide awritten representation to Gillian Ross Pond
by Monday 6 April
.It is important thatyou do this because if youdo not, Dundee City Council will assume that you aresatisfied with the proposal. Please ask for confirmation of receipt of your letter. Hercontact details are:Mrs Gillian Ross PondPPP Project DirectorDundee Schools PPP ProjectFloor 8, City HouseOvergateDundee DD1 1UHTel.: 01382 435161Email:Gillian.rosspond@dundeecity.gov.uk
To contribute to the debate, read others’ comments, and shareinformation, please visit:
westendparents.blogspot.com
 
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL
The current proposal
(1)
is to build two primary schools and a nursery school on the Logiesite during 2010/2011. The nursery will provide 180 places (and possibly more). Rollprojections for 2011/2012 are 188 for Park Place Primary School and 257 for St JosephsPrimary School.
IS THE PROPOSED SITE SUITABLE FOR TWO PRIMARY SCHOOLSAND A NURSERY?The site is too small
The area of the proposed site does not even meet minimum statutory requirements. TheLogie site (Figure 1) has an area of 12,700m
2
(1.27 hectares). Some of this area isrestricted: it includes a category B listed building (the old janitor’s house) and manymature trees that are protected by Tree Preservation Orders
(2)
.Scottish government regulations
(3)
state that:•every primary school with 141-315 pupils shall have a site of not less than6,000m
2
•a nursery school designed for 90 pupils shall have a site of not less than2,250m
2
. (This figure is probably too low because the nursery will probably havelarger capacity than 90).Since there are two primary schools, that gives a total of at least 14,250m
2
. Even if theentire Logie site was available for the new build, it would still be considerably smallerthan this required area.Furthermore, Scottish government regulations
(3)
state that:•every primary school with 141-315 pupils shall have available and in closeproximity to it playing fields not less than 3,000m
2
•a nursery school with 90 pupils shall have available and in close proximity to it agarden playing space of not less than 837m
2
SportScotland guidance
(4)
states that a typical single stream primary school should haveuse of a synthetic grass or grass pitch for 9.8 hours per week. The two schools thereforeneed 19.6 hours per week.The council has confirmed that there willnotbe playing fields at the proposed Logie site.Where then will playing fields in close proximity be available?A shared playground will need to be large enough for both schools to use simultaneouslyso that the quality of education is not affected. (Pupils would be distracted if theplayground was being used by the other school during their lessons).A 2005 House of Commons Education and Skills Committee report concluded that"school grounds are a vital resource for learning. Capital projects should devote as muchattention to the outdoor classroom as to the innovative design of buildings and indoorspace". A 2004 Ministerial Review Group on Physical Education reported that future newor refurbished facilities should ensure wellplanned space for physical education and physical activity appropriate for the needs of both schools and the wider community
(5)
.
 
The proposal would squeeze the children onto a site that is clearly too small and woulddeny them the space to which they should be entitled according to Scottish governmentregulations.
Concerns over parking
Parking is a major planning concern. The proposed site will need to incorporate access,parking and drop-off for at least 625 pupils. The council has not provided anyinformation about how this might be achieved safely.
Further concerns about the site
•Dundee City Council has indicated that it will “build up” because the site is sosmall. It has indicated that the primary schools are likely to be at least threestoreys high and that the nursery could also have multiple storeys. This isunusual and clearly not ideal.•There is “a very large electricity sub-station in a large compound” 
(6)
next to thesite. There is evidence of a relationship between prolonged exposure to theelectric and magnetic fields emanating from such sub-stations and increasedrisks of childhood leukemia
(7)
. There is also an environmental noise impact.•The proposed site is overlooked by tenement housing.•Is it true that two tenements that overlook the site are reserved to househomeless people, the majority of whom are ex-prisoners, including many sexoffenders?•Is it also true that a street opposite the site has a high proportion of drug users?•The Al-Maktoum Foundation was granted full planning permission in January2006 to build a cultural centre on the Logie site. This has not been progressed.Why not?•Planning was granted to the Al-Maktoum Foundation subject to the proposal andcompletion of a scheme to check and remove any contamination in the land.However, there has been no activity on this apart from an initial groundinspection.
Figure 1: The proposed Logie site showing the electricity substation.
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