Compromise - Bishopbriggs Academy and the PPP

The Academy was moved from it's intended site in the town centre on the promise of a better school not restricted by the site problems at the High School site.
Better sports provision and an improved design.
All the pupils would be moved to the High School and the site at Thomas Muir cleared with a new super school built.
No, site restrictions at Thomas Muir!

Lots of prime land at the High School site - just no good for a school - if you believe the Lib Dems

What has happened...

All our children are 'shoehorned' into Bishopbriggs High (1300 pupils) the school was built for less than a 1000.

Meanwhile the existing Thomas Muir School, that should have been demolished, is now being used by another school while they have a brand new school built on their 'cleared' site.

The promised sports provision is being 'shoehorned' onto the 'smaller site' plus 'bolted on' from two neighbouring Primary Schools (one across a main road).

The design of the school has to be 'shoehorned' into the only space left while the existing school is being used.

Amazingly, with all this known, the developers still believe there is 'surplus' land to be sold for profit at the Thomas Muir site.

The prime Bishopbriggs High School site will make them millions and Turnbull High will provide even more 'surplus' land to add to the windfall.

Ask yourself, if this is what the people of Bishopbriggs were sold when the Council decide to move the school for 'better educational' reasons.

Ask yourself, if the Interim School Board have keep you informed (their duty) of what has happened and taken 'your' advice?

Ask yourself, when May comes. you can then decide if this Council, who represent you, have done a good job!

Ask yourself, when the election for the new Academy School Board, that should have taken place in August 2006, if you want this board to continue.

Decide if I was wrong to tell you, from the start, that Bishopbriggs have compromised during a project where Bishopbriggs is the ONLY area to LOSE a school.

Comments welcome...

Public hearing this Wednesday

The Public Hearing will take place on Wednesday 31st January 2007 at 5.30 pm in the Council Chambers, Tom Johnston House, Kirkintilloch.

I understand that Bishopbriggs Academy hearing will start around 7pm (Bearsden will be heard first).

All welcome.

Interim School Board MISS deadline for planning objection.

The Interim School Board missed the deadline for planning objections to the new Academy!

They will now speak IN FAVOUR of the developers plan!

Would it be safe to say that InspirED were so impressed with their OBJECTIONS that they asked them to speak in favour of their plan - now that's inspired!

This is the ONLY way they will be allowed to speak at next weeks meeting.

Next weeks Public Hearing will take place on Wednesday 31st January at 5.30 pm in the Council Chambers, Tom Johnston House, Kirkintilloch.

I have read their representation - did they not see the latest updates to the planning application before it was written?

The proposed 'parents' parking bays on Angus Avenue have already been proposed. The entrance has already been moved further along Wester Cleddens road (before the plan has been approved).

Possibly the most important meeting since the councils decision to move the school - have the Interim School board informed parents of this meeting? Have you seen a copy of their representation? The Interim Board speak on YOUR behalf.



Why do we still have an Interim School Board almost SIX months after they should have been replaced and one month after a vote to elect a new board?

Could it be that they support the council and the council are reluctant to replace them?

Academy makes Herald Diary...

Ken Smith has commented on the unpopular decision to build the Academy on Thomas Muir site.

Just saying what the voters think?

Academic argument
AND so some people pass into folklore. A meeting to discuss the unpopular decision by the council to site the new Bishopbriggs Academy on a less accessible site than the current Bishopbriggs High heard one complainer argue: "The only way the new school could be less popular would be if you made Jade Goody the new janitor."

See it here Herald

The shape of schools to come?

Interesting story on school design from the BBC...

Passing a large volume of children through a narrow opening like a corridor or stairwell is bound to create friction and problems, he says.

All the major incidents of children being injured or stabbed in schools have occurred in corridors, he claims.

The new Bishopbriggs Academy corridors are narrow - a 'one way' system is being considered.

This means schools of the future have to be large-scale open spaces

So planners have to understand what the education of the future will be like to prevent them designing something that will soon become outdated.

The planners are working within the constraints of building while the old school, this should have been demolished. It is being used by the council during construction to accommodate St Ninians from another town. A new St Ninians is being built on their site AFTER their school is knocked down to provide a clear site. The public of Bishopbriggs were never given a choice in this.

more from BBC

also from the BBC...

Many new-built schools 'mediocre'

Half of a sample of 52 secondary schools built in England in the last five years were at best "mediocre", government design advisers say.

More from BBC

Five councillors set to quit?

It is understood that five councillors are set to leave before May's election.

Each could receive a tax-free golden handshake of up to £70,000

Other councils have named those standing down but Liberal Democrate run East Dunbarton has refused to name names.
John Morrison Lib Dem leader said "it's no secret" but did not say who the councillors were.

Two Labour councillors, Tom Smith and Edward McGaughrin have already said they are standing down.

In another move 'Scottish hockey' have backed 'SportScotland' in their concerns over the East Dunbartonshire schools PPP project.

With local elections in May some councillors could choose to take the money rather take the risk of being voted out.

Public hearing dates and times

The pre-hearing will take place on Tuesday 23rd January 2007 at 6.30 pm in the 'Big Eat' Canteen, Tom Johnston House, Kirkintilloch.

This pre-hearing is to inform the Public of the procedures for conduct of the Hearing.

The Public Hearing will take place on Wednesday 31st January 2007 at 5.30 pm in the Council Chambers, Tom Johnston House, Kirkintilloch.

It is not a forum to introduce new arguments.

Talks planned on new school sites

PEOPLE will soon get the chance to have their say on plans for two new secondary schools in East Dunbartonshire.

Public hearings will be held within weeks over proposed new sites for Bishopbriggs Academy and Bearsden Academy.

It follows a planning meeting this week at which councillors gave the go-ahead for a fourth school to be built under the £100m public private partnership scheme.

The council committee has now given full planning permission to four of the schools in the rebuilding programme, Kirkintilloch High, St Ninian's High, Turnbull High, and Douglas Academy.

Site visits and public hearings will now be held regarding the two remaining schools.

More from Evening Times

Jo Swinson to walk to school

Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson has been invited to 'walk to school'.

A parent from Hilton Road asked Jo to join her and find out the issues children from this area of Bishopbriggs will have walking to the New Academy.

Jo has agreed, it is hoped this will take place tomorrow, January 19th.




With snow lying on the ground today this will be a good indication of how the weather will effect the journey.

Hilton Road is a lot closer to the new Academy than some other areas of Bishopbriggs that children will have to walk from.

I will report the outcome of the walk as soon as I hear.

Drains at Thomas Muir site

This information has been sent to the site...

The planning application for the Academy claims that there is no history of flooding at the Academy site. This is patently untrue as both of the schools have had to have large stone filled drains installed recently to deal with run off surface water. Even this has not completely resolved this problem as this photograph shows.

Comment...

I looks like this is at an entrance gate.

Planning decision

At tonight's meeting of the Council planning committee, a decision over the planning application for Bishopbriggs Academy was deferred pending a site visit and public hearing.

It is hoped that this can be carried out on the same day (still to be confirmed).

Councillor Morrison constantly refereed to the planning had to be completed "quickly".

Another meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 31st January at 5.30pm and Tuesday 6th February.

Accident at Woodhill Primary

Reports have been sent to me regarding an incident ON the campus at Woodhill Primary this morning.

My information is that a child fell and hit his head on parked car's tow bar while in the school grounds. A paramedic was first to attend the call followed by an ambulance. The child was taken to Yorkhill Hospital and has since been released.

This issue will be raised at several meetings over the following days.

Woodhill Primary is next door to the proposed site of the new Bishopbriggs Academy.

Sports facilities

We would all like to see more sports facilities but there is a limit to what local authorities can do with the land and resources available
Sandy McGarvey

Yes, especially when you decide to sell off large sections of land that is already zoned for education...

Quote of the year!


Full story in today's Herald

For anyone who has been privilege to read the planning report (I have). They would have noticed the section on the areas around the pitch being less than the recommended safety areas.

The developers stated...

their is insufficient space to provide full run-offs etc.

If they checked their plans again, the pitch sides run parallel to the 'surplus' land. The safety area could easily be achieved if this land was used for education not gain.

If the planning is approved, as is, the safety of pupils would be compromised to achieve better receipts for land sale.

SportScotland publish guidelines

SportScotland has published a guide to sports provision in Scotland's Schools.

They are concerned at the loss of so many pitches particularly with PPP projects.

The Bishopbriggs Academy DOES NOT meet their recommendations for sports pitch provision.

Here is the Herald story

And how the Scotsman covered it

SportScotland guide lines

Planning board meeting

Dear James

Can I ask you to remind your readers of the details of the Planning Board meeting which will be held in Tom Johnston House this coming Tuesday 16th January.

"It is important that Councillors are made aware of the interest across Bishopbriggs in the details of this planning application. The school will be with us for the next 30 years so it is vital that the correct decisions are made by councillors on that night."

The meeting starts at 5 pm.

"The fight for a school that Bishopbriggs can be proud of for the next 30 years is coming to a conclusion. We owe it to our children and their children to say we fought for the best possible school - not just the cheapest option."

Their futures depend on us. See you there.

Donald Macdonald

yours

Donald Macdonald
Chair
Woodhill Residents Group

Scotland is building more shopping centres than ever … but are there enough shops to fill them?

© Google Earth

SCOTLAND IS poised for a retail development boom with more than 1.5 million square feet of new shopping space scheduled to open during 2007, according to newly compiled figures.

The flood of space combined with troubled times on the high street, however, has left somepropertyagentswonderingif there will be enough retailers on the expansion trail to fillout all the corridors. Compiled by realestateconsultants Colliers CRE, the numbers only include major schemes and not the individual shops, smaller supermarkets and retail parks popping up around the country.

More from Sunday Herald

And Bishopbriggs looks like adding another.

But then Churchill Way was demolished as it failed!

Other shop units are standing empty in the town centre.

Kirkintilloch Shopping Centre is struggling.

Only time will tell

Change of Entrance

I have created these graphics to show the change of entrance at the Academy, Thomas Muir site.

Option 1: Entrance opposite Pentland Drive.


Option 2: Entrance moved left nearer 'Surplus' land.

Revised plan for Academy site

The Woodhill Residents Group have submitted a revised plan for the siting of the new Academy.

You can view the document contents here

And a site plan is available on their home page here

The plan involves moving the school North and using the 'surplus' land to accommodate the traffic management.

The council planning meeting will take place next week.

Lack of consultation - rejected consultation

Prime land that will be lost from educational use in Bishopbriggs

Bearsden are unhappy with PPP schools project but Bishopbriggs has lost a school and an entire site to development!

From a letter in The Herald newspaper...

Part of the problem with this PPP project has been the lack of proper consultation. Mr Anderson states that the council's PPP team has worked with its building partner but makes no mention of working with local groups.

From a public perspective, it appears that a veil of secrecy has been drawn over these proposals and that all reasonable observations are brushed aside as irrelevant or too late to be considered.

And this statement...

East Dunbartonshire states that it is committed to community planning. To quote from its own document, community planning is "most importantly, about ensuring that local people are able to influence the decisions of the organisations that provide their services".

This has, and is, clearly NOT happening.

Comment sent

David Anderson, East Dunbartonshire Council's Corporate Director - Community, may feel that the sports field provision in the PPP project for Bearsden Academy is adequate, however residents and parents in Bishopbriggs are not so relaxed.

The new Academy in Bishopbriggs was moved from the 'constrained' site near the town centre, to the outskirts in Woodhill. Here we were told there was much more space. Space that would allow greater provision of sports fields.

Now that detailed plans for the school have become available it is clear that this extra space is being sold off for housing and the extra playing fields will be laid on land currently used by the two nearest primary schools. While any improvement in the facilities of either primary school is to be welcomed, it is clear that parents and residents were misled when we were told that the Woodhill site for the Academy would bring with it significant educational benefits such as greater sports field provision.

Perhaps when councillors meet next week to either approve or reject the planning application for the school, they will ask why land on the site is being sold off while pupils are being asked to cross a fast main road to use an undersized primary school playing field.

SportScotland 'not happy' at schools facilities...

From today's 'Herald' newspaper

SportScotland have expressed concerns over the sports facilities East Dunbarton Council have proposed in their PPP schools project.

Particular reference is made to the sale of 'surplus' land when this could be used for sport facilities (see earlier posts).

This is exactly what is happening on the Thomas Muir site were they are now being asked to share sports facilities with TWO neighbouring primary schools.

Read the article for yourself here in the Herald

Apples and Oranges?

The Transport Assessment is available on the council web site under planning. It also has an updated map (Sketch) of the changed access on Wester Cleddens Road (as posted earlier on the site).

Can you see anything wrong with the Site Location Plan (below) that compares the Bishopbriggs High School site and the Thomas Muir site? Why has the entire site at Thomas Muir been highlighted but only the school at Bishopbriggs High?
Surly not to make one site look larger than the other!


Reproduced under the terms of Faber Maunsell "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" as published on their web site.

The plan indicates that Accident data has been requested from East Dunbartonshire Council but has NOT been provided.
(Page15 3.8)

Another interesting point was the bus journeys to school taken by pupils of Bishopbriggs High School and Thomas Muir before amalgamation.

Bishopbriggs High 5% (around 50 pupils) used the bus to get to school
Thomas Muir High 35% (around 200 pupils) used the bus to get to school

Thomas Muir had only 480 pupils (same report) my maths make 200 pupils around 42% not 35% or almost half.
Does that show it's more difficult to access this site?

The plan also agrees that Bishopbriggs Railway Station is now outside the Scottish Executive guidelines - that the acceptable walking distance for rail stations to a place of education or place of employment is 800m. Therefore, rail travel is not considered a viable transport mode for pupils or staff of Bishopbriggs Academy.

Not the case if the High School site had been agreed as public consultation wished.

Amazingly on page 20 the another map indicates bus stops and shelters. One of the stops is marked on the bus terminus which may not exist as it's part of the 'surplus' land the developers want to sell!

East Dunbartonshire Council policy on dealing with traffic impacts of new development is
provided in their memo of 18 January 2005 provided in Appendix B.

Under traffic impact...

During the time of writing, utilities works in Bishopbriggs Town Centre on Kirkintilloch Road
have been underway and this will have a significant impact on the traffic patterns within
Bishopbriggs as a whole. Therefore, it has not been possible to obtain any meaningful survey
data in the vicinity of the Thomas Muir site and no historic data was available either.

Importantly, the roads memo states...

“The implication of the above is that traffic capacity issues should not be used as a reason for refusing a planning application which the Planning Service is minded to grant….”

Two access options are proposed - as far as I am aware - no decision has been made on planning approval for the new school. I am also aware that work has started to create an access point indicated on one of the options.

Has the work has started before approval.

Worryingly on page 38

7.6.3.5 Rail Measures
Milngavie rail station is 1.6km walk from the school is above the maximum walking threshold
figure of 800m specified by the Scottish executive.

"Milngavie rail station" Same plan used for different schools or what?

Happy New Year

2007