Residents should by now be aware of the proposed redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth High School. The planning application references are 19/03998/CCD and 19/03999/LBC “Redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth High School including the refurbishment of Grade II listed hydro building and Westfield house for ongoing school use. New build school buildings of 2 and 3 storeys. Demolition of existing school buildings and associated new access points, car parking, bus parking, landscaping, grass playing fields, hard courts, and the artificial sport pitches including sports lighting”.
Hexham Civic Society members attended the pre application ‘public consultation’ event Saturday 14th September at the Queen Elizabeth School. We gave our feedback but were astonished that an application – not materially different from the consultation version – was lodged 26th September with NCC Planners. We wonder how much account has been taken of public views.
The proposed scheme merges onto one site the existing QE High School site the QEHS and Hexham Middle School. The Middle School site – with its Grade II listed 1912 buildings – will then be sold off by Northumberland County Council. The historic QE buildings date from the mid C19 and are also Grade II listed.
We will comment in full on the listed building and planning applications, but our key concerns are:
- Yes, both schools are in dire need of investment;
- However, we do not support the merger of the schools onto a single site.
- We fear this squanders the unique QE and HMS assets and oppose the loss from education use of the HMS site – the former Hexham Grammar School which has served us for 110 years and will in likelihood be sold off for housing.
- The ‘one site’ scheme boxes Hexham into a corner and reduces future flexibility since the QE site becomes packed with development. We do not think the existing road and footpath network can cope with the extra 450-500 pupils, their parents and teachers cars or extra buses.
- The area of QE is highly constrained in terms of road network and a poor footpath network with low scope for improvement without radical intervention or initiatives.
- We are highly concerned about the impacts of the new buildings on the listed QE Hydro building. The scheme involves the demolition of rear buildings to the former Hydro, including its much-loved mid nineteenth century walled garden.
- The design of the new buildings sits very badly with the existing buildings – colliding with the listed Hydro.
- We think a more sensitive location for any new build is possible, which retains the existing Hydro – potentially with a different vehicle access.
- Given the declaration of a Climate Emergency by NCC and Hexham Town Council, the proposal is not explicitly sustainable, and we urge NCC to set an example here. Any new-build should be green roofed. The scheme should be a low carbon climate resilient school for future generations. We understand the proposed design life is just 60 years which is not acceptable.
- The scheme is overly dependent on vehicle access with large portions of the site set aside for private car parking. Any scheme should be based on firm support for walking and cycling access.
We wish to see the two separate sites maintained but urge readers to view the proposals themselves and make their own representations to NCC – via west.planning@northumberland.gov.uk
Hexham Civic Society 
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