A new Les Quennevais School a step closer?

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Planning officers are meeting with Education today to discuss where a new Les Quennevais School should be built.

Education has already set aside £40m to build a new school in the West. They have identified a site to the south of Rue Carrée (the road between Rue des Quennevais and Les Ormes) but this is in the Green Zone - which has high level of protection against development. The land is currently farmed although it is understood that the States have already acquired some of it.

Education Minister Rod Bryans told the States that his department has made no decision yet. They are looking at ten sites, of which three are preferred. A feasibility study into the Rue Carrée site had been delayed to explore the possibility of building on a nearby football pitch, which would reduce the impact on the Green Zone.

"We are meeting with Planning officers on Wednesday to look at all the issues," said Deputy Bryans. "After that, we will be meeting with parish deputies and other interested parties before we start a period of public consultation. All things well, building will begin in 2016 and the new school open in September 2018."

Les Quennevais School was built in the 1960s for 450 pupils. It now has almost 900 and has been described as "overcrowded and outdated".

Concerns have been voiced over the potential loss of farming land and habitats should the school be built at the Rue Carrée site.