Plans for a new primary school at Elm Grove in Trowbridge have been dropped by Wiltshire Council following public consultations last month. The plans to develop the land included family homes, a school and enhanced sports and recreation facilities.
Campaigners are celebrating the council’s decision to abandon plans to build the school on the Queen Elizabeth 2nd recreation ground at Elm Grove which was given to the town in perpetuity to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
Questions were raised about the need for the school during the consultation carried out by the developer, Coulston Estates. Wiltshire Council has subsequently reviewed Primary School needs in Trowbridge and has determined that the previously proposed school is no longer required as part of the housing allocation. They said: “The recently released statistics on birth rates in the Trowbridge area show the two schools already planned for the Ashton Park development will help cater for numbers in the coming years.
“A third school, which was originally proposed for the Elm Grove area of Trowbridge will no longer be required as the two new schools and extensions to existing schools will meet the need for the future.”
The decision to abandon the Elm Grove School will be reported to the inspector in advance of the hearing sessions. Coulston Estates are now preparing an outline planning application to provide around 250-280 new family and affordable homes, with revisions now there is not to be a primary school. The project also proposed an enlarged and properly managed area of public open space to replace the poorly drained and underutilised Elm Grove recreation ground. An extensive area of publicly-accessible green space will remain part of the plan with the existing recreation ground being retained and enhanced as part of this larger area of public open space. Project updates will be posted on www.elmgrovetrowbridge.com
