Tree clearance work begins at new school site

WORK has begun to clear a site ready for construction of a new school for Caversham Heights to beginThe Heights Primary School was granted planning permission by Reading Borough Council in August to move from its temporary site in Gosbrook Road, Lower Caversham, to part of the Mapledurham Playing Fields.Tree clearance work in currently taking place and an area on the edge of the fields has been fenced off.Soil investigation work within the playing field car park and entrance road will also take place. Contractor Kier Construction will cordon off the area with temporary fencing while the work is carried out. Clearance work is anticipated to be completed at the end of next week.At the same time, Reading Borough Council will also be removing 15 trees in the middle of the playing fields in preparation for landscape enhancement work later this summer.It says this will improve the quality of the football pitches and provide a greater flexibility and more sustainable use of the area.There are plans to plant 57 replacement trees in the area.A lease of part of the recreation ground was granted by the council – in its capacity as trustee of the Mapledurham Recreation Ground Charity – on February 18.This follows the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s amended planning application, which was approved by the council’s planning committee on February 6. Full planning consent was granted on Monday.The amendments include changes to the school building, internally and externally, as well as changes to the levels, trees and landscaping.These include moving the reception year classrooms to allow the location of a year one classroom in the north-west corner of the building, minor adjustment of classroom dimensions and the introduction of new rooms for reprographics, showers and changing and a group room.It also means toilet numbers have been increased as well as the kitchen area to accommodate a full production kitchen.Internally, the amendments will mean an increase in window heights and a changed school entrance canopy,Outside the multi-use games area to be set approximately one metre lower than the school building, with steps/ramps within the site. There will also be a new gate to the playing fields on southern side of the MUGA and removal of additional trees on the western boundary.Last year a legal challenge over the council’s decision to grant planning permission failed.The Mapledurham Playing Fields Action Group, which opposed the school’s move, sought a judicial review of the decision at the High Court. It argued that the school should not be allowed to use the land as it was bequeathed to Reading by Charles Hewett in 1938 and set in trust for recreational use.It claimed the council has contravened national planning guidelines, local planning policy and Sport England’s acceptance criteria and that the move would “devastate” recreational and social activities that take place on the playing fields.Mrs Justice Lang rejected the claims and said plans for the school should go ahead.It has operated from temporary classrooms since it opened in 2014 and has had to expand several times to meet growing demand.The new school will cater for up to 350 children.Five possible sites were included in a public consultation exercise carried out by the council before the playing fields emerged as the overwhelming favourite.The school said the playing fields were the best option but some residents protested.The Education and Skills Funding Agency, a government body, offered £1.36million to improve leisure facilities on the playing fields in return for a lease on 1.2 acres of the 25-acre site for the school.