Plans for Hundreds of Homes in Ringwood Could Shift School Attendance
New housing developments in Ringwood may lead to students changing schools due to overcrowding concerns
Ringwood, Hampshire, Housing, Education, Development
During a recent meeting, a land investment company shared their proposal for the site. They mentioned that students might be “redistributed” to different schools to manage class sizes better.
The company, St Congar, is looking to submit a plan for 491 homes, which is part of the local council’s development policies. They’re saying that kids living in Poulner might end up going to schools there instead of Ringwood.
Interestingly, while there’s a policy for a new primary school, St Congar claims there isn’t enough room for it. Instead, they think existing schools could be upgraded to handle more students.
Town councillors raised concerns about the current class sizes and traffic issues. Plus, there are other plans for more homes in the area, which could add to the pressure.
St Congar is not a housebuilder; they just want to get the planning permission and then sell the land. They’re planning a mix of homes, including affordable options, and some nice open spaces for recreation.
They also want to make sure there are good access roads and paths for pedestrians and cyclists. But there’s some debate about how traffic will flow, with suggestions for a roundabout to manage the expected car movements.
Cllr Jeremy Heron voiced concerns about losing recreational land for these new homes, which is a valid point. St Congar plans to start public consultations soon, so it’ll be interesting to see how the community reacts to all this.