Schools

New or Improved Community Facilities

Consultation confirmed the importance of enhancing the range of community facilities and amenities in the Parish. Residents recognise their value as a focus for community life and interaction; they are also important for the good health and the long-term sustainability of the community. In particular there is a need to maintain and if possible, expand existing sports facilities, provide additional community meeting spaces and increase facilities for teenagers.

Community consultation has highlighted a broad consensus that the type and capacity of community facilities and services should evolve in an appropriate manner to serve population growth and changing demographics resulting from new housing development.

Improving the village’s present facilities is supported.

POLICY CF2: NEW OR IMPROVED COMMUNITY FACILITIES - Proposals that provide new community facilities (such as a new village hall, burial grounds, allotments, footpaths and cycleways, medical facility or shop) or improve the quality and range of existing community facilities, will be supported provided that the development:

a) Meets the design criteria stated in Policy H6;

b) Will not result in unacceptable traffic movements that generate increased levels of noise, fumes, smell or other harmful disturbance to residential properties including the need for additional parking which cannot be catered for within the curtilage of the property;

c) Will not generate a need for parking that cannot be adequately cateredfor.

d) Is of a scale appropriate to the needs of the locality and conveniently accessible for residents of the village wishing to walk or cycle; and

e) Takes into full account the needs of disabled people.

Schools

There are two primary schools within Glenfield, County Primary School and Hall School. Despite the recent increase in population, it is felt that the spaces available are sufficient through the Plan period as both currently take in pupils from outside the District.

Residents have raised concerns for many years that there is no secondary school in Glenfield. The children of the village continue their education at a number of different locations all several miles from the village. This is difficult logistically for the parents particularly when their offspring may not even be going to the same school. It is also socially divisive for the children who frequently get separated from school friends and as they make new friends they are often from different communities. At the last census there were over 900 children in the village between 10 and 17 and with the population growth this figure probably now tops 1000. As such the case for a secondary school is well made but a location for one is very difficult to see.

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