Labour's New School Plan Gets B Minus

11.18.00am GMT Fri 2nd Nov 2007

Stockwell Park High School will lose its swimming pool under Labour's plans

labour Councillors at Lambeth Town Hall voted "NO" to a new swimming pool at Stockwell Park Secondary school at a Lambeth Planning Committee on Wednesday 31st October.

Lambeth wants to be the first authority in the country to build a brand new school as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme. However in its headlong rush simply to be first, many critics both inside and outside the Labour Party feel that the plans for the school have been fatally compromised.

Worst of all, building and demolition works have been agreed to take place while existing pupils are on site rather than decanting them to a safer, quieter environment which would allow a clear site and a better designed school. Keeping costs down appears to be the main driver.

Labour says it has no spare capacity to decant pupils and yet it has Lilian Baylis at nearby Kennington lying empty which would be ideal for the purpose. Labour is currently trying to sell off this large education site to developers.

Current plans at Stockwell require the demolition of a swimming pool refurbished only two years ago and no replacement facility which is not only contrary to Lambeth Planning Policy but flies in the face of Government policy to encourage wider community use on school sites.

In a cost-cutting, face-saving exercise, only a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) is slated to replace the swimming pool but is to be situated right at the back of the school site and immediately behind the boundary walls of neighbouring properties.

Residents argue that siting the MUGA here, rather than at the front of the site where it would be more visible, requires a rear entrance onto Stockwell Park Crescent to be reopened after it was closed for security reasons twenty years ago. And, bizarrely, a special 'Quiet Unit' for children with Autism is also to be sited adjacent to the MUGA - probably the noisiest part of the new school complex.

Liberal Democrat planning committee member, Cllr Brian Palmer, said that he was fully supportive of a new school but that the current plans were rushed and fell well short of the high standards of facilities that Lambeth should be aiming for.

Swimming pools have been disappearing for many years from Lambeth schools and have not been replaced. The omission from Stockwell is particularly grave in view of the new school having a remit to promote sport.

Cllr Palmer said, "Labour seem to want quick fixes and schools on the cheap. We must press for fully provided for schools fit for the 21st Century that leave a lasting legacy of quality for future generations."

Cllr Palmer added, "This was Lambeth's own planning application and it was entirely within the committee's power to make sure that a new swimming pool was provided and the overall design of the school improved."

Labour's majority members on the committee approved the plans by three votes to two.