Plan to turn fields into school ‘break-out’ space are lodged

Saturday 08 July 2023

Plans have been lodged to build an "informal break-out space" for the benefit of pupils’ mental health at Jersey College for Girls.

If approved, JCG would turn two agricultural fields into an educational space for the use of pupils.

The fields, which are directly east of Jersey College Prep, are currently managed by Jersey Property Holdings and used for potato planting.

Planning agent KE Planning wrote: "The principle is to provide an informal “break-out” space to benefit the pupils’ wellbeing and mental health.

"The space would be used for socialising, informal meetings, informal games, ecological study, and a space for staff and students to get some fresh air away from the pressure of the school environment. Pupils using the field would be supervised."

The planning consultants added that JCG and JCP are seeking to create a "one campus" approach by sharing facilities.

According to KE Planning, the provision of outdoor space for both schools was "severely below the recommended levels".

"To address this extreme shortfall, and to provide an outdoor amenity area to the pupils of JCG and the Prep School, the Government has allocated two fields to the east of the Prep School," wrote KE Planning.

According to the planning consultants, there will be "no profile changes" to the field other than a two-metre wire-mesh fence which would be placed around the fields to the north-east and east to ensure pupils’ safety.

"It can be concluded that the proposed outdoor educational amenity space is an appropriate and beneficial use of the site that would contribute to the overall improvement of the natural environment and provide educational opportunities for the pupils of JCG and the JCP," added KE Planning in a written statement.