Meeting held to discuss much delayed move of Harlowbury Primary to Gilden Park
Education / Tue 24th Jan 2023 at 08:12am
A MEETING was held on Monday night to discuss the much-delayed move of Harlowbury Primary school from Old Harlow to Gilden Park.
The audience was composed of concerned parents as well as local residents.
In the audience was headteacher Vicky Early and co-chair of Governors, Robert Smith and Yasmin Gregory.
It was chaired by the Director of the Harlow Education Consortium, Chris Fluskey who sat along with the Essex county councillor portfolio holder for education, Tony Ball (Cons) and Old Harlow ward councillor Joel Charles (Cons).
The audience learned that the anticipated opening date would now be September 2025.
The audience were given details of the legal complications that have caused the delays. One consequence was that when the time comes a fresh planning application would have to be submitted.
The audience was also informed that in the meantime, maintenance work would have to commence on the present site on Watlington Road.
Many of the families there were from the new Gilden Park estate and it was clear that they were deeply unhappy for a number of reasons.
Many felt they had been sold a house on the basis that there would be a school, a community centre, sports pitches and shopping facilities.
Mr Fluskey said: “As chair, I really do sympathise. It does appear you have been sold a pup”.
It also continues to be a tricky walk to school alongside a very busy Gilden Way.
But most of all, whether parents live in Old Harlow or Gilden Park, it was their children’s education they were most concerned about.
At the end of the meeting, Ms Early informed the audience that further information would be uploaded to the school website.
Nostradamus
2023-01-24 10:04:18
And who was responsible for the selling of a pup? The local and county councils have all the levers of control and power to ensure developments have schools, community centres, parks, playing fields and green wedges. When Church Langley was built in the 1990s the powers that be decided that schools wouldn't be needed because children could be bused around to other schools across the town: bonkers, it took a campaign to persuade them otherwise. Clearly, local and county councils and Cllrs have learnt nothing. New developments need good infrastructure.
Paul Darrell
2023-01-24 21:31:04
Frankly I am not surprised at the incompetence of the authorities involved, this harks back to how extremely little notice the latter take of residents views! Ie misplaced J7 a, overcrowded and poor gilden development!!! Subsequently improvements to The Oxleys parking, landscaping Taken 20 plus years with No Solution!!!
Whatever.
2023-01-25 06:33:58
The new development and road junction for Gilden Way has already been dubbed by some locals as the " Gilden Ghetto ".
Rj
2023-06-30 18:14:25
It’s all bullshit I see a for sale sign on the land that was meant for the community hall ect, been sold a lie should be compensated
Rj
2023-06-30 18:15:23
It’s all bull s—t I see a for sale sign on the land that was meant for the community hall ect, been sold a lie should be compensated
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