Devizes Strategic Development Brief - Wiltshire Council

Proposed Provision
A3.4. To address this shortfall to the north of Devizes it was originally proposed that social and
community provision be improved by –
a) Designing the new primary school so that it provides for dual use. However, need to recognise
that this will have limited appeal because of access arrangements/limitations on time of use, for
example, a creche or ‘senior citizens’ club could not take place during the day. There are
benefits to this type of provision as there is daily supervision and on site management of out of
school use.
b) New provision to serve both the Naughton Avenue and Le Marchant Barracks allocations. The
Inspector acknowledged in his report on the Inquiry that a community hall would be welcomed
in this area and, during the Inquiry, objectors to the non-allocation of this site ‘offered’ to
include a community building if the site were allocated. Future management would need to be
resolved as no ‘on site’ staff or easily identified future owners.
A3.5. During initial consultation meetings it was suggested that the new Primary School could be built to
allow dual use both in the evenings and during the day without conflict with the school’s activities.
This would incur additional costs in relation to the construction of the school but could remove the
need for an additional site. It was also suggested during the consultation meetings that the new Cadet
HQ may be used for other activities. Although there may be issues in relation to national security
that may need to be resolved in order to use this building it is another option to consider.
A3.6. Comments received in relation to the wider public consultation indicated full support for the new
primary school to be designed to enable full dual use. In relation to a new facility to the east of the
London Road there was very little support from consultees. To establish the existing need for a new
community building additional residents consultation took place. This was in the form of a
questionnaire included in the local Parish newsletter. The results were inconclusive. In the light of
little evidence of an existing perceived need for a new community building that would be
exacerbated by the introduction of 220 houses, and the fact that it would be difficult to argue that
220 houses alone generate sufficient demand for a new community building (see para A3.2, above),
this option has been deleted from the Brief. Instead it is proposed that the Council seek to identify a
reserve site for a new community building in this area which could be developed over time if new
windfall site development comes forward. It should be noted that the residents consultation did
highlight local support for the retention of the amenity area at Naughton Avenue. Respondents were
clear that this site should not be developed.
A3.7. It is therefore proposed that the Devizes Strategic Development Brief should promote the full dual
use of the new primary school during the evenings and daytime. An additional community building
to the east of London Road should not be pursued through the Devises Strategic development Brief.
Estimate of Cost
A3.8. The estimated cost of the new primary school, £2 million, includes an estimate for an enhanced
design to enable the dual use of its facilities throughout the day and into the evening.
Kennet Local Plan 2011
Devizes Strategic Development Brief
Supplementary Planning Guidance March 2004
36