School relocation plan to be reviewed

Plans to relocate a school are to be looked at again following public opposition.

Hampshire County Council said a proposal to move Henry Cort Community College in Fareham to a new site in North Whiteley from September 2027 was the most viable option available.

It said the move would allow for an estimated 900 to 1,200 secondary school places needed in the developing Whiteley area.

However councillors called the proposal in for further examination after a consultation found 72% of respondents wanted to keep the existing site open.

The local authority's plans involve moving Henry Cort Community College from its Hillson Drive site in Fareham to the new North Whiteley secondary school site about five miles (8km) away.

The new secondary school is planned to meet the forecast demand for school places throughout the Whiteley area which has 3,500 new homes built and a further 2,000 in the pipeline.

The move was one of three options being considered for Henry Cort's future, which is expected to see a fall in pupil numbers once the new school opens.

Only 22% of a consultation’s 1,142 responses backed the option, while 72% supported building the new school and keeping Henry Cort but with a reduced catchment area.

Cabinet member for children’s services, Roz Chadd, agreed to proceed with a formal consultation into the relocation, with a final decision to be made at a later date.

She said she recognised the council's preferred option did not reflect the feedback received in the informal consultation earlier this year, but that it was the "most sensible, long-term and viable way forward".

Keeping existing school sites alongside the new school would lead to "educational and financial decline", she added.

Members of the children and young people select committee subsequently called in the decision, asking the council to examine it in more depth.

Liberal Democrat member Prad Bains said the community was "disillusioned" by the decision.

“It’s disappointing that the cabinet member has actively chosen to ignore the overwhelming community response on this vital issue," he said.

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