Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) South Yorkshire
protecting the countryside - for the nation, for the future

COUNTRYSIDE GROUP RAISES ALARM THAT NEW WOMBWELL SCHOOL WILL STEAL COUNTRYSIDE PARK AREA FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS

Countryside watchdog, the Campaign to Protect Rural England is alarmed by the proposals for a new, Advanced Learning Centre (ALC) between Wombwell and Darfield which threatens to damage the Green Belt and remove a significant portion of Netherwood Country Park from public use.

The new school (which will replace the existing Wombwell and Foulstone schools), is set to bring clear educational benefits to pupils and residents, but CPRE says that because the application fails to recommend a suitable replacement for the loss of the country park, it is wholly inappropriate.

If the application made significant efforts to balance the loss of country park and aimed to reduce the impact this on the open feel of the Green Belt countryside, CPRE would be delighted to support it, explains John King, Planning Officer at CPRE South Yorkshire. However no such effort has been made and it is simply not acceptable. The ALC should be the catalyst for environmental and educational improvement in Barnsley and not be detrimental to the countryside. The Local Education Authority must try harder to achieve a more positive result for pupils, the local community and the environment.

CPRE believe the Local Education Authoirty could maximise opportunities to provide additional recreational space and create wildlife habitats on the site which would help to improve the Green Belt environment.

Barnsley Council’s Planning Committee is expected to consider the Wombwell ALC proposals at its April meeting.