St Joseph's objectors suffer setback

Jul 9 2009 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

PROTESTERS battling against controversial plans for a new school in Blantyre were this week dealt a blow.

Planners have recommended approval of the St Joseph’s Primary blueprint despite 224 objections and a 603-signature petition against the plans.

Today (Thursday), members of South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee meet to discuss the application.

Representatives of the Friends of Blantyre protest group, set up to challenge the proposals, will get the chance to put their case.

The committee will then have to decide whether to accept the recommendation of their planners or back the objectors.

The plans have been framed as part of the council’s huge primary schools modernisation programme.

St Joseph’s Primary, which had 313 pupils on the school roll this year and was built in 1955, is on land off Glasgow Road.

Council chiefs have earmarked a 12-acre site off nearby Park Lane for the £9m complex that will include 12 classrooms, nursery accommodation, gym/assembly hall and multi-use pitch. The main entrance will be on Park Lane.

In response to the proposals, protestors have lodged no fewer than 27 grounds of concern.

According to a report to be tabled at today’s meeting, they include:

concerns in relation to the road safety of the pupils when they enter and leave the new school;

concerns about an increase in noise impact in the area;

concerns that there will be an increase in traffic congestion;

that the increase in traffic will result in structural damage to adjacent residential properties;

that the proposed school site is contrary to Structure Plan and Local Plan policy as the site is allocated for housing development.

There were no letters of support for the proposals.

The issue has been hotly debated over recent months, with the Friends of Blantyre accusing the council of deception, misleading the Scottish government, and putting commercial interests ahead of those of the people of Blantyre.

Central to the group’s claims are the accusations that the council simultaneously drew up two separate plans; one for the eyes of MSPs in Holyrood and the Local Plan - which saw the school remain on Glasgow Road - and another for the relocation of St Joseph’s to Park Lane.

Spokesman for the group John McQuade told the Advertiser this week that the group believes the council has lost its objectivity and impartiality over the application.

“We believe that there has been fundamental disregard for the integrity of the planning process,” said the 43-year-old firefighter.

“We do not believe there has been openness and transparency with regard to the adoption of the Local Plan and the subsequent requirement to launch a planning application.”

Many of the protesters believe that the St Joseph site is set to be bought by a major superstore group.

Mr McQuade added: “We would also remind the council that decisions should not be influenced by any possible conflict of interests or gain to the authority through the sale of its land to developers."

Last week, Blantyre councillor Jim Handibode stressed that the Friends of Blantyre group’s actions would endanger the prospect of a new school ever being built.

He said: “The settled will of the school’s council, which represents the parents, is that they are satisfied with the new school on Park Lane. What they are doing is condemning the children of St Joseph’s to stay in a school that is not fit for purpose.

“ All they are doing is delaying the inevitable. This is a view held by all the councillors.”