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Public School Crisis Results in Loss of Bushland

13/3/2016

Known for its environmental focus, Manly Vale Public School is poised to undergo major change.

A proposal to super-size Manly Vale Public School has been knocked back by Warringah Council and provoked widespread opposition from the local community.

The Education Department plans to build a “super school” on the bushland site, not far from Manly Dam.
The new school would cost $23 million and cater for 1000 pupils - a huge jump from the 460 currently enrolled.
To accommodate the increase, new classrooms, offices, a library, and a canteen and hall will be built on the site.
More than 300 trees will be removed, and parts of Manly War Memorial Park will have to be cleared for bushfire protection. The current school is known for its bushland environment which will be decimated if this plan goes ahead.

Locals say these areas are too precious to lose and fear the development will increase pressure on endangered species that have been found in the area, including the powerful owl, eastern bent-wing bat, grey headed flying fox, and eastern pygmy possum.

Ironically the school has been a leader in environment education since the 1970s when a large nature area was put aside to help pupils learn the value of the environment and nature conservation.

While local residents recognise the need for some development at the school, where some children are housed in demountable classrooms, they say that the proposed development is far more than is needed for the local area.

But the Education Department , which says there is no room to significantly enlarge other primary schools in the area, is struggling to accommodate an ever-increasing primary school population.

The Department also claims that fauna in the area will not be significantly affected as trees and shrubs will be left to provide wildlife corridors.

The plan. which has so far attracted 100 submission and an opposing 1500-signature petition, will go before the Joint Regional Planning Panel later this year.

22 Comments

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Jenny Herringer

19/3/2016 07:15:44 am

I don't think Many West is part of this.
Jenny

Candy Bingham

19/3/2016 10:47:56 am

Thanks Jenny, you are right. My story relates to Manly Vale regarding the bush land. Typo in the caption now corrected!

John D Wilson

19/3/2016 09:54:46 am

Candy, Manly West is likely to be enlarged too. I don't understand why North Balgowlah Primary School can't be enlarged, perhaps too many party heavies nearby. Manly Vale Primary School I think is just the scapegoat this time.

19/3/2016 10:51:20 am

Yes John lots of local schools affected. The Royal Far West land owned by the Dept of Education near Manly Village School offered some solution but negotiations apparently broke down so Dept reduced enrollments by reducing the catchment area - which of course then flowed onto Manly West.

Ellin Byrne

19/3/2016 03:05:35 pm

Thank you for sharing this vital information with the community.

I would like to add a few points:

- There is 10+ options for upgrading schools in the area (as identified by the dept of ed) I continue to advocate for Manly Vale, along with other schools to receive a modest upgrade.

- An ideal Manly Vale upgrade would cater to the demands of the area including a small portion of other larger schools schools.

- Manly Vales recent growth may appear scary, but is mostly it seems from a huge uptake of local students within the catchment. From just 53% in 2008 to an estimated 89% in 2016 based on ABS data. This could be attributed to outstanding NAPLAN results a few years ago.

- This "super school" plan is to be facilitated with boundary changes, yet take a look at the boundaries and see the blatant problem with this - there is limited scope for an increase.

- There is very serious and ongoing safety issues at this school with regard to traffic. The school has little road frontage and is described as a nightmare as is. Doubling an already nightmare situation is reckless. This issue is not easily solved due to the surrounding and restrictive road network.

19/3/2016 04:30:48 pm

Further to my previous comment, a few other things that come to mind:

- It was originally planned to build a school for 800 students on the current Manly Vale PS footprint (which would have negated the current delays, additional costs that have come about and also the extensive loss of bushland that the current proposed layout requires) Building on the current footprint would mean the play areas are situated within the asset protection zone - making them dual use, within fire safety best practice and also more cost effective (as the proposed asset protection zone is said to cost the school $25,000 a year).

- If the Dept of education was clever enough, it is possible to co-ordinate a staged development on the current footprint, with the students on site (what the school community voted for I believe) This would include creating the asset protection zone first and housing the students to the South/West of the site whilst the North/East is redeveloped.

- With the proposed plan, the school will lose it's conservation project known as the 'nature area', this cannot be replicated with the current plan. The school and this nature area was the inspiration for the Environmental Education Bill, which is testimony to its value. Only building on the current footprint could retain an area such as this.

- The dept of educations claims re endangered/threatened species are false. An independent ecologist, Warringah council and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage have found significant flaws within the findings. It is likely the local population of Eastern Pygmy-possum will become extinct as a result of this proposal. Several other species were missing from the Dept of educations studies and are yet to be assessed.

Thank you again for highlighting these issues for us all, I believe there is merit for a public meeting as the misinformation spread within the community is quite alarming.

19/3/2016 04:57:38 pm

Thanks Ellen for this further information. I know you have been working very hard to bring this issue to the attention of locals.

Ian Hills

21/4/2016 08:49:14 am

The difference area of providing an Asset Protection Zone (APZ) for the current proposal and providing one for a building within the current footprint is 0.9 hectare, the size of a Soccer Pitch! Hard to imagine how losing an area as small as that could spell the death knell for Pygmy Possums! It's also worth pointing out the current school doesn't have an APZ!! Very scary!!
The conservation project known as the 'nature area' is rarely visited these days by the school children.
Why is it the 'green lobby' only ever gets interested and involved at the eleventh hour causing frustrating delays and community divisions; where are they at the consultation and planning stages?

Anna

27/6/2016 12:22:02 pm

I agree Ian, always easier to come in all indignant at the later stages, but they were asked their opinion early on. We cannot build on a footprint over sixty years old! The demountables are covering more space than buildings, the library is IN a demountable, and the toilets are inadequate and 'scary' according to my youngest. We need to move forward.

Peta

27/6/2016 12:46:03 pm

Unfortunately this blog post is missing quite a lot of facts. As an active parent at the school and next door neighbour, this current modern design was done with the school communities involvement 2 years ago. This design, plans to engage students with the bushland, which currently sits behind demountable classrooms and a large wire fence. Over the past year and a half over 250 endemic seedlings have been taken from the area to be re grown around the building, with a pond that has natural water flow (the current one runs from a tap which is not environmental). We are also looking at the possibility of creating an outdoor sculpture area designed by students using studies of surrounding flora and fauna for inspiration. The footprint of this land barley caters for the students we have now. If we go with what this article is suggesting we will have 4 to 5 storey high buildings adjacent to low rise housing, how do you picture that fitting into a landscape let alone accommodating 800 children. This creates more problems and NOT solutions. Unfortunately the vocal minority who have been opposed to this have based their arguments on misinformation and coming up with completely absurd solutions. As parents our children are living with these over crowding and sub standard issues now, we have an incredible design, a first for its kind for a public primary school in the Northern Beaches and it should be the way we move forward because we cannot live in the past on issues of education. Primary schools in our catchment are bursting at the seams, we have a fantastic plan that once built we and the students coming for future generations can be very proud of.

27/6/2016 01:13:54 pm

Many thanks for your comments Peta. It's important that all views are covered in this blog.

27/6/2016 02:46:56 pm

The "completely absurd" solution that I have advocated for, that is building up to 3 storeys on the current footprint is actually the FEASIBLE and ORIGINAL plan (with 5 configurations) that the dept of Education had in their Masterplan Feasibility Study... go figure.

The project never should have strayed from the original, feasible plan... that is what is absurd!

And the current footprint does not cater for the numbers you have now because you have single storey buildings. By building up with 2+3 storey buildings, and incorporating the necessary APZ into the play areas (as per the original plans) the required open space is achieved... as per the calculations done in the feasibility study.

Again, don't know why this perfectly sensible and sustainable concept was derailed... or how supporters of this solution could be accused as "living in the past"?!

Naida Entwistle

27/6/2016 01:03:00 pm

As the parent of a child currently enrolled at Manly Vale and one coming up within a few years, I am surprised at the level of opposition to what is unfortunately, the necessary and unavoidable development of a new school. I understand that there are valid concerns for the environment as well as traffic and other issues, but the reality is, this area has had a huge change in demographics from a much older generation to that of young families. These facilities are outdated and over utilised and there is no getting around that. While I will miss the passing of this lovely, small bush school, I understand that our children must be schooled and I welcome a facility that will bring many great advantages along with it.

27/6/2016 01:16:38 pm

Thanks Naida. Good to have comments from a parent's point of view who's children will be affected in the future by the final decision.

27/6/2016 02:09:12 pm

What is most unfortunate is that the Dept of Educations original and feasible plans (they had 5) were knocked aside.

The Manly Vale PS Development Masterplan Feasibility study showed 5 configurations for 2+3 storey buildings on the current footprint. This met the objectives of maximising outdoor play space, retaining high value bushland on the site and having the built form drop down to the North (to minimise overlooking to residential).

The current plan is delayed if not for the single reason that owners consent was required for the APZ. This was noted by council to the applicant in Nov 14. Instead of returning to the original and feasible plan of building 2+3 storey buildings on the current footprint, an incomplete DA was submitted. In Aug 15 the applicant was again asked to return to the original feasible plan by council, as they would not give consent, but the applicant pressed on and is now acquiring the land. Until this owners consent is there, the RFS cannot support the development and nothing can move forward.

It is unfortunate this development is delayed, but as mentioned above, this was always going to be the case because of the owners consent required for the APZ just was not there. If the dept of Education had of stuck to the original feasible plan, no doubt building would be happening now (as even though traffic is a huge concern to the community, this isn't something the dept of Education cares about).

It is disturbing that the dept of Education has not made this little known fact more public and has allowed local environment groups to take the heat (its in the DA documents and the pre-DA notes if you want to read for yourself). What is also disturbing, is that despite knowing the actual NEED in the suburb of Manly Vale, they have allowed all sorts of crazy numbers and ideas to be flung around the school which do not align their OWN demographics... anything to protect Mike Bairds ulterior motive I suppose.

The problem is, this development is not part of an independent and objective planning process. It is highly political, resulting in a sub-standard outcome for the local and wider area. It is a shame that the dept of Educations neglect of Manly Vale has been utilised in this way and essentially has garnered much support under many false pretenses... the victim in the end being our children, educational system, environment and communities.

Shame on Mike Baird.

27/6/2016 02:29:23 pm

Also - I do not get this "stuck in the past" mentality that some are accusing the objectors of having.

What is progressive and forward thinking about destroying so much bushland when 2+3 storey buildings on the current footprint will meet the same needs of the community.

It is 2016 - sustainability is key.

27/6/2016 02:29:42 pm

Anna Maguire

28/6/2016 09:51:23 am

Ellin, I'm just a parent with two kids at the school who is desperate to see something move forward. I have not been involved in the planning process.

But from what I've heard, yes, the plans you mention were the first tabled. After consideration they were deemed not feasible for a long term solution, particularly with using the same footprint.

That's when the school community got involved and gave their ideas for the future. Nature and connection to it played a big part. The initial design had no connection to green space that it does now.

While I regret any loss of bushland, I do feel building on the current footprint, meaning higher rise rather than spread out, isn't the best solution.

Stephen Hancock

5/7/2016 05:24:52 pm

Another disappointingly biased article that hasn't bothered to contact the school or P&C to hear the overwhelming support amongst the local school community for this wonderful $23 million community asset.

Since getting unprecedented funding in the 2014 state budget, this project has been through an extensive two year design process ensuring the dilapidated 60 year old facilities are updated to a genuine 21st century learning environment.

Currently it isn't just 'some children' housed in demountables, it's a completely unacceptable 65% in temporary accommodation and all the other facilities such as library, canteen, hall and toilets are as a result under scale. There is an urgent need to upgrade Manly Vale Public as it's one of the most overcrowded schools in NSW.

5/7/2016 05:25:06 pm

5/7/2016 05:25:18 pm

Public School Crisis Results in Loss of Bushland

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