Design for new school criticised

About 200 people attended a public meeting in Crook, on Wednesday, to ask architects to think again about how parents, teachers and visitors will get to the school.

The row comes after government funding was granted to build a school to replace St Cuthbert's RCVA Primary School, in Church Hill, Crook.

It is widely accepted that the 150-year-old building which houses the school is no longer practical.

Paul Briggs, chief education officer for the Diocesan Schools Commission, told the meeting that although people were fond of the building, they had to face reality that a new school was needed.

He said: "St Cuthbert's is an excellent school which has national recognition for its IT work and we want it to have better premises.

"Although we think of the building with great affection, we have to be practical.''

He told the meeting that it would cost too much money to bring the school up to standard.

Residents say they agree with the new school in principle and were impressed by drawings of what the building would look like, but said that the new entrance along Sandringham Road and Windsor Terrace was dangerous.

They told Mr Briggs and architect Kevin Ashton that the two roads already had traffic problems without bringing more vehicles into the street.

Some people made suggestions for drop-off points to encourage youngsters to walk to school, others suggested building a new road.

One man said: "It looks like it is a great building and a smashing idea but we hope that you will be a little bit more imaginative about the access. You need to go back and think again.''

Residents expressed concerns that the plans would be put to planning officers at Wear Valley District Council as they were without considering what had been said.

Mr Briggs said: "We have listened to everybody's concerns and have made note of them. We will now go away and look at those concerns and do our best to see if we can find a solution."