Inner west schools reach for the sky

BY ANGIRA BHARADWAJ

The Greater Sydney Commission’s development plans for the inner west indicate a move to ‘skyscraper schools’ in an effort to meet growing demand.

Schools in the suburbs of Petersham, Summer Hill and Ashfield are currently at capacity and face a significant increase in demand.

The commission’s draft plans were released on 21 November and reveal that the majority of new enrolments in these suburbs will be accommodated by existing infrastructure.

Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill, says the proposal of increasing the size of schools, including adding new stories, is concerning.

“The community is understandably worried about moves towards skyscraper schools. More and more kids will be living in apartments. Will they have to study and play in high-rise schools as well?” she said.

Ms Haylen is also concerned about the commission potentially incentivising the construction of schools by developers.

“I do not have the confidence that schools built by developers in mixed-use developments will be the best designed learning environments for our kids. The government must come clean now about what their real plans are here.

“The Government’s debacle in Ultimo shows they’re not committed to proper planning. Schools will potentially have to close for long periods during construction. Where do our kids go then?” she said.

Shadow Minister for Education, Jihad Dib says the government has failed to deliver much-needed new classrooms to Sydney’s growing regions.

“The Government has fallen so far behind in delivering new classrooms in the booming regions of Sydney that at the current rate it will take at least 45 years to get to where we need to be in 15 years.

“Children are being crammed into overcrowded classrooms like battery hens. It’s a far from conducive environment for learning,” he said.

Mr Dib says the government has a poor track record where Sydney’s educational infrastructure is concerned.

“Communities in Wentworth Point are in their sixth year of being promised a school with not one sod of land turned.

“Green Square will become Australia’s most densely populated region and there’s still no plan for a school. I worry for communities in Sydney’s booming inner west and Bankstown-Sydenham corridor,’ he said.

Mr Dib added that the government needs to be more proactive in acquiring the land to build schools.

“Waiting until the last minute and then saying building ‘high-rise schools’ is the only option is just not good enough.

“I don’t want to see schools having to set up rosters for use of the playground or ‘no running’ rules because this government hasn’t properly planned,” he said.

However, a spokesperson for the Greater Sydney Commissions says the draft plans should be viewed as a starting point for discussion.

“The Greater Sydney Commission has an open mind on the height of school buildings.  What is more important is the quality of the education at the school and whether it is meeting the needs of the local community.

“The draft Central District Plan has been prepared following extensive consultation with state and local government, peak bodies, community groups and individuals,” a spokesperson said.

The commission has also asked the community for further feedback: “We’ll be listening to the community and peak bodies and encourage everyone to participate in person or engage via our website.”

The formal exhibition period for the draft Central District Plan will be running until 31 March 2017 and submissions can be lodged at www.greater.sydney.