31st August 2026

1. Is the open space required by the 1982 S.52 Agreement still there now that the school has been built?

From the available evidence (the 2009 Weldon letter, the site plans, aerial imagery, and the school layout):

  • Cllr Weldon’s letter of 6 April 2009 stated the Council’s position that none of the seven acres of open space required under the 1982 S.52 Agreement was included in the Compulsory Purchase Order and that the school would not be built on that protected land.
  • The school (Vale View) and its associated hardstanding, buildings, playgrounds and fenced sports pitch occupy a substantial portion of the former open playing-field / tip site.
  • A fenced school football pitch with “managed public access” was provided as part of the scheme (visible on the site layout plan). This is school land, not unrestricted public open space.
  • Surrounding residual green areas exist on the periphery, but they are significantly smaller than the original open field and are not the seven acres of dedicated public recreation land that the 1982 agreement required to be set aside.

Conclusion
The large, freely accessible open space that previously existed on the Harcourt Street / Mill Lane field has been largely replaced by the school buildings, hard surfaces, playgrounds and a managed school pitch. Whether any remaining peripheral land exactly matches the (vaguely defined) seven acres protected by the 1982 S.52 Agreement cannot be confirmed from the public documents alone, but the overall quantum and character of public open space on the site has been substantially reduced.

2. Could the site accommodate the Sport England demanded facilities?

Sport England’s requirements for a new primary school of this size typically include:

  • A full-size or near full-size grass pitch (or equivalent artificial surface) meeting minimum dimensions and runoff areas.
  • Adequate soft outdoor PE space.
  • Protection of playing-field quality and quantity (they strongly resist net loss of playing-field land).

From the site layout plan and the 1.8–2.97 ha overall site area:

  • A fenced school football pitch was provided.
  • Additional playgrounds for different age groups and a netball court were also included.
  • However, the usable grass pitch area is constrained by the school buildings, parking, access roads and the need for the clean cover system over the contaminated made ground.
  • The pitch is described as having “managed public access,” which is a compromise rather than the fully public open recreation space that previously existed.

Conclusion
The site was able to accommodate a school pitch and outdoor PE facilities that met the minimum requirements Sport England would have insisted on for planning approval. It did not, however, retain the previous large, unrestricted public playing field. The facilities provided are school-oriented and more limited in area and public accessibility than the original open space.