Stratton School Junction Reconfiguration A39

Within the proposed new school's Transport Assessment is a Transport Assessment produced in 2011 providing transport advice for Stratton School's 4 new classrooms. These classrooms now exist and have seen 4 school years of children move through the school. The Transport Statement (TS) builds on work previously undertaken by WSP in support of the building of temporary classrooms on the northern side of the school (known as Phase 1)...even BEFORE the 4 new classrooms were planned or built.

Surely this makes the WSP Transport Assessment supporting the proposed new school at Stratton outdated?

The traffic flows were obtained for the Skitches Corner staggered priority junction from Cornwall Council for June 2011, August 2005 and September 2005 (in order to undertake seasonal sensitivity tests). How can these figures accurately reflect the CURRENT movement and levels of traffic on a wet time term day during October...November...December...January...February....March...April...May (video on this page taken in May!)??

In 2011 Stratton Primary School was shown in this report to be at a capacity of 197 pupils. The report predicts (in the future of 2011) full capacity of 330, the school is yet to reach full capacity and the videos on this page show already the level of traffic flowing around Skitches Corner at school drop off and pick up.

If the existing school and proposed new school were to reach full capacity we have calculated that, based on 530 pupils, (not including the pre-school and Gregson Centre pupils and staff) the potential traffic flow will increase from around 190 cars to approx 318 cars (possibly more with the bigger catchment area a new school would bring).

We have read in the report that Skitches Corner will be redeveloped but this money won't come until developer money is available...and developer money won't become available until planning for housing is achieved. The HillHead development? The Hillhead development would certainly ease the flow of traffic straight through the school(s) relieving the bottle neck in the school(s) car park and the pressure on Skitches Corner. The illustration below shows how the road would be extended through the school car park if the Hillhead housing were developed.

But which will come first? If the school comes first presumably it would pave the way for the HillHead housing development? Would the Skitches Corner junction redevelopment come last? We have seen at Binhamy that the A39 roundabout, funded with developer money from Section 106, has only just begun despite many of the houses already under occupation. The new junction coming last at Skitches Corner would be an utter disaster.

And what if the housing development at Hillhead doesn't come at all?......then where does that leave funding for the Skitches Corner junction? And the small car park(s) serving the school(s). The town needs a new school, but is this the right place to build it? If Skitches Corner had already been reconfigured...and if the Hillhead development already approved it would be quite a different scenario.

Are there too many if's and but's supporting this application, and outdated stats too? There is definitely wrong information in respect of the cycle link which doesn't exist. How can the Public and Council possibly make an informed decision on this new school proposal when the supporting data cannot be relied upon?

Images shown below taken from Planning application PA16/03903 on Cornwall Council's planning page

A proposed new Primary School for Stratton. What this could mean for Skitches Corner....and the Public Bridleway schools link which is actually a legally recorded Public Footpath http://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/centralDistribution.do?caseType=Application&keyVal=O6BZGVFGL0Y00

PA16/03903 | Outline application for proposed development of a school (D1), Multi-use games... Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.