New building for free school
KENT’s first free school is to get its own purpose-built building after Maidstone Council granted planning permission for an expansion on the New Line Learning Academy site in Boughton Lane,Maidstone. The 2,250sq m development
will be occupied by Tiger Pri- mary School, which used part of the academy when it opened in September last year to be- come the county’s first Govern- ment-funded free school. The scheme will separate
TigerfromNLL,withatwo- form entry providing capacity for up to 420 pupils by 2018/19. A 1,500sqm studio school, which will support up to 280 post-16 pupils, was also given planning permission. Applicant Future Schools
Trust will have to pay £45,000 as part of a Section 106 agree- ment towards a new bus lane between the Wheatsheaf pub and Armstrong Road, on Loose Road, which is a Maidstone Council aspiration in its draft integrated transport strategy. Yet members of the planning committee had reservations over traffic congestion from a proposed housing development as well as the influx of pupils and staff at the new schools. KCC admitted in its report
Solar park plan A PLAN has been unveiled for a solar park on 17 hectacres of land at Riverfield Farm off Sta- plehurst Road, Staplehurst. The site is currently a fish farm comprising of 45 ponds. Under the scheme, photovoltaic panels would be laid out in rows run- ning from east to west. The height would be limited to a 2.4m security fence. Applicant Hive Energy Ltd
has asked Maidstone Council if it needs to submit an environ- mental impact assessment prior to lodging a formal planning application.
Library opening RESIDENTS in Yalding could be quizzed about their require- ment from the local library. Opening hours have been re- duced since the retirement of the librarian last year, causing concern to regular users and members of the parish council. The council would now like
to petition residents about opening hours, but it has been agreed to wait until after the May elections.
Church flower team KEEN flower arrangers are in- vited to join the rota at St Michael’s Church, Chart Sutton. There will be a flower demonstration in the church on Wednesday, May 2, when any- one interested is welcome to go along and meet the team.
18 South To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 Cllr Ian Chittenden
that the Loose Road/Boughton Lane/Cripple Street junction “is operating close to its design capacity”. Cllr Ian Chittenden said: “We understand there will be an ap- plication for 225 houses on the playing fields, so these two school applications should not be considered on their own. “The full development in- cluding the houses should be considered jointly because of the effect in relation to the exits onto a narrow country lane, the increased intensity of traffic at the junction of Boughton Lane/Cripple Street and the overall increase affecting the serious congestion problems. “I would normally support
all school applications but I would like to see this one re- jected.” Cllr Mike Hogg, who, like Cllr Chittenden also sits on the com- mittee and represents South ward on the borough, shared the traffic concern. He said: “People will try to avoid the area by going throughTovil and this will make things worse.” Cllr Martin Cox felt there would be a safety risk for stu- dents as there is no footpath on much of Boughton Lane. Cllr Daniel Moriarty thought
the Section 106 money would be better spent on a shuttle bus along Boughton Lane. However, council officers re- minded members of strong wording in the Government’s policy statement on new schools, which says “The Sec- retary of State will be minded to consider such a refusal or imposition of conditions to be unreasonable conduct, unless it is supported by clear and co- gent evidence.” It was considered that the ev- idence of traffic congestion was not strong enough to vote for a refusal, so both schools were given planning permission, with seven votes in favour out- numbering the three against. There were two abstentions.
‘Scheme would give parents
more choice’ NOT everybody was left frus- trated by the decision to grant planning permission for the primary school. Cllr Stephen Munford, of Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council, supported the proposal. He said: “Already we have 130 applications for next year for our pri- mary school butwe only have 30 places. Each class has waiting lists. “This is denying our parish-
Cllr Stephen Munford
ioners the chance to take their children to their local school. If there are no highways ob- jections then we would come down in favour of parental choice.” Gigi Luscombe, executive officer for Future Schools Trust, said: “From September 2014 the primary school will not be able to be co-located as school rolls grow. “We have two applicants for
every place at the school and anticipate a large number of students to walk to school.”
Pupils sniff out Red Nose Day fun
SCHOOLS in the Future Schools Trust entered the spirit ofRed Nose Day, raising more than £1,500 for Comic Relief. Cornwallis Academy,NewLine Learning, Tiger Pri-
mary and Little Learners Nursery wore red, baked cakes and played games – all in the name of charity. It was the first Red Nose Day for Tiger Primary
School, where pupils held their own bake-off, with some incredible creations from parents, pupils and staff.
Headteacher Emma Bryant tasted all the entries
and crowned parent Emma Knight the winner. The primary pupils, aged from four to seven, also created a giant tiger’s face with the coins they collected. Other activities at the secondary academies in-
cluded music performances andmore cake sales at lunch and break times.
Clockwise from above: Tiger pupils and headteacher Emma Bryant with their tiger made from coins; David Amos from NLL Academy guessing how many sweets in the jar; pre- schoolers and toddlers from Little Learners Nursery dressed in red; and Tiger School's Red Nose bake-off
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