Community Drop in Sessions

Last week we held a series of 'Drop in Sessions' which were an opportunity for the wider community and all interested parties to come down to site and meet us in the shiny new Site Office, look at the work we have done so far and see the early conceptual designs for the new School.

We had a fabulous turnout and over 100 people came to see us for a chat and to ask questions and leave feedback regarding the different options that we had come up with for how the School design might come together.

Here are the 5 options we displayed at the sessions....

We met with our Local MP, County Councillor, District Councillor, Local Police Officer, Stroud District Planning Officer and lots and lots of residents...phew!

Having taken the opportunity to read the feedback, the response to the initial designs and the community ethos we have for the school was overwhelmingly positive...some key concerns and ideas emerged regarding;

- Parking: Clearly an important topic and one we will be giving a lot of consideration to in the coming months as we develop the designs.

- ICT: lots of people wanted to see a dedicated ICT room that could be used by both the School Pupils and the wider Community.

- Very positive response to the schemes and in particular the 'Inside/Outside' Village Square concept.

- Very positive response to the concept of the 'Heartspaces' and the opportunities that these flexible learning and teaching areas could provide

Overall these sessions proved invaluable, as we are developing a community focused school that will provide opportunities for all members of the Coopers Edge Development. It was great to meet everyone and they all filled in their feedback sheets with a favourite design option...these have now been counted and verified and two front runners appear to be forming........watch this space!!!