PLANS for a new, eight-classroom teaching block at a Salisbury school have been submitted.
The scheme would see the three-storey teaching block built on land to the rear of the Bishopgate building at Bishop Wordsworth’s School, in Exeter Street, visible from Friary Lane.
It would replace two temporary classroom structures currently in the space, with one moved and used during building work, to be removed once the new block is completed.
“The application site is located adjacent to Friary Lane and currently consists of two temporary mobile classroom units,” the plan said.
“The site is out of the view of the cathedral and is located outside, but adjacent to, the Conservation Area.”
It said the temporary classrooms currently in use are ‘beyond their life cycle’.
The temporary classrooms at Bishop Wordsworth’s School
“The new classroom block will be accessed via the walkway through Bishopgate as previously used for the mobiles,” it went on.
READ MORE: End in sight for temporary classrooms at Salisbury school
“The proposal will consist of eight classrooms over the three floors, all accessed via a lift in addition to two stairways for fire compartmental safety.
“The proposed new classroom block will also provide a large toilet facility and disabled WC on the ground floor, in addition to ample office and storage space.”
Designed by Peter Smith Associates Architects, the application says the building had been ‘carefully considered to ensure there is no impact on the adjacent properties’.
How the new block could look from Friary Lane in Salisbury
“The adjacent properties on Friary Lane consist of a four-storey residential duplex apartment block to the left along the street scene to the proposed new classroom block, which is approximately 11m in height, and to the right along the street scene there are two-storey semi-detached dwellings approximately 9m in height.”
The plans come after a previous application to extend the use of the temporary classrooms was granted earlier this year.
For more details on the plans, and to comment, log on to www.wiltshire.gov.uk and search for application reference PL/2023/03504.
This tower block obscures the historic st osmunds church designed by Augustus Pugin. This building over looks the gardens and bathrooms of the houses next to it. The designer claims it will have no impact on adjacent properties but this is not correct, it will have a horrendous impact on those properties.
The school have not thought this through. The UL Government guidance for school infrastructure planning does not recommend building remote classroom facilities offsite. It recommends a strategic planning that enables children to be looked after within a secure boundary. This is a ridiculous proposal.
Building in the garden of the historic bishop gate will destroy any prospect of this building capitalising on its nature in the future when the school finally realises they need to move in the direction of every other school in Britain to achieve a education within a sensible and secure campus and not have children wandering the street between lessons. This is a very foolish proposal.
Further enquiries have identified a very important point. It is this…..
The Bishop has a school which apparently needs more classrooms….and the Dean has a school with no students…(it has been empty for years)
So why don’t they work out a solution to that one?
Leaden hall school has wonderful classrooms that would be ideal for music and drama that are safely located inside the close in a beautiful setting that would provide the inspiration needed for true creativity?
When will the lesson be learned? Cooperation and common sense is what we need in this world.
That new building surely *will* be visible from the cathedral! I’d not be impressed if it was near me either. A music block blaring a discordant cacophony all day – how frightful. Doubtless the pupils will also enjoy leering out of the windows overlooking neighbouring properties too. Assuming they can see anything in the vast shadow of such a monstrosity. I’m *sure* other buildings in the location must be available, have they really been considered fully?
We own one of the flats opposite and have not been informed about any planning permission! The flat over looks the cathedral from the kitchen window and will massively impact the view from there!
Why haven’t the owners been informed?