Schools have plenty of pupil places says Gladman

Consultants claim that a go-ahead for a new housing estate in Audlem will not put any strain on places at St James' Primary School.

EPDS Consultants was commissioned by developer Gladman to assess the likely impact on local schools over plans to build 120 homes on the outskirts of the village.

If the extra homes were to put a strain on local school places, developers could be forced to help fund extra classrooms. But consultants claim St James has plenty of capacity to take the extra pupils.

The report to Cheshire East planners says St James has capacity for 208 on roll but currently has only 169 pupils, leaving 39 surplus places.

Cheshire East's own guidelines estimate 18 primary school places and 13 secondary places are needed for every 100 households in a school's catchment area.

The average number of new primary school pupils to be expected in 120 new households in Audlem is 21.6 well within the current spare capacity at St James'.

The proposed estate would also have little impact on secondary school places in Nantwich, adds the report.

It claims a survey of Brine Leas shows 86 surplus places at the 1,340 capacity schools while neighbouring Malbank has 201 surplus places, taking the total to 287 – far more than the estimated 16 new pupils that the proposed estate would generate.

EPD also claims that census data from 2001 to 2011 shows a downward trend in the number of 5-14 year olds in Cheshire East overall and only a very marginal increase in children aged under four.

The report concludes: "It is unlikely that the proposed development at land off Audlem Road, Audlem will generate a shortfall in local primary school places based on the expected increasing demand for which no mitigation in the form of S106 contributions is likely to be required."

Gladman Developments is seeking outline planning consent to build a 120-home estate at Little Heath on the outskirts of Audlem.

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