Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Lightwood Strategic supports the identification of site KB4 'Land east of Knebworth' in the Submission Plan.

Whilst supportive of the allocation in-principle, Lightwood Strategic objects to the site specific development criteria.

Bullet 2 requires "Up to 4ha of land for education purposes subject to up-to-date assessments of need".

Para 13.193 states that new development, particularly on site KB4 to the east of Knebworth, provides the
opportunity to look at alternate approaches to secondary school provision. Making smaller-scale secondary provision, possibly as an 'all-through school' is suggested.

The wording introduces a high degree of uncertainty. Further, it is not clear under what circumstances KB4 would be required to accommodate such provision, especially if a new primary school has been already provided on KB2. The supporting text to KB2 speaks of a 1 form entry primary school addressing the needs of West Knebworth, but a new school here would have the capacity to address the pupil implications of Knebworth growing to the east to. There is therefore no justification for additional pupil places on KB4. It also follows that any "all through" provision would be more efficiently added to the educational facility to be built on site KB2. A new primary school on KE4, alongside the existing primary school should be enough provision for the village as a whole, and in time, the geography of where pupils go will work itslef out so that west Knebworth goes to KE2 and east Knebworth goes to the existing school. the west of Knebworth allocations, in combination seem to offer better prospect for any "all through option" but such a n option would need to be shown as needed and deliverable to justify its inclusion on policy