Bolder Academy Goes to Planning

Officer's report recommends approval despite TfL's concerns

Thursday's Planning Committee will decide whether Bolder Academy will go ahead. Bolder Academy will be a non-denominational, mixed, secondary school for 1,150 children on MacFarlane Lane in Osterley (near the Tesco supermarket just off Gillette Corner).

The planning application, P/2017/1417, is going to planning committee as it is a departure from the Development Plan.

The proposed school is part of a larger plan for two schools and site swapping involving the Grasshoppers Rugby Club the site of which is to be vacated for the Bolder Academy.

The Rugby Club will move to the northern half of the old White Lodge (Conquest Club) sports site along Syon Lane. The southern half of the old sports field is now taken up by the Nishkam all-through school (primary and secondary) for 1400 children which is currently under construction.

To facilitate the Rugby Club move the Council is raising over £9 million to develop the northern half of the site and has also agreed to waive two years of rent arrears owed to the Council. £6 million will be in the form of a direct grant and the remaining money will be raised by selling SKY some of the council-owned Metropolitan Open Land adjacent to the proposed school site.

The site is deisgnated as MOL (Metropolitan Open Land) which is normally supposed to be protected from development except in “exceptional circumstances”. Hounslow Council believes that those special circumstances apply and has been supporting the proposed Bolder Academy. According to the officer's report, "The ‘very special circumstances’ of need for a new school, outweigh the harm of introducing new buildings to the MOL. This position is supported by the Mayor of London".

The officer's report recommends approval.

TfL do not support this application (although are no longer objecting) as it doesn't comply with London Plan and they do not think the proposed mitigation will be sufficient considering the high traffic.

Observers are welcome at Planning Committee which takes place on Thursday 3rd August at 7:30pm in the Civic Centre.

More information is also available at www.planningbolder.org.uk 

The school will be a 6 form entry for 11-16 and provide post-16 education for 250 students as well as providing a specialist centre for 25 SEN children.

The expectation is that the school will be open in September 2018 and you can register your interest for a place now. Admission criteria in case of oversubscription will be based on proximity to Syon Lane train station rather than the school.

July 27, 2017