Residents voice concerns over a Salisbury school’s plans for a large new three story building with six classrooms.
Bishop Wordsworth’s School wants to build a new building. It would have three floors and six classrooms. They want to replace old mobile classrooms.
These old units have four classrooms total. They are over 40 years old, and the school says they can’t fix them. They don’t meet modern standards, either.
Some neighbors worry the building would be too big. The school says the old classrooms lack good insulation. Also, ventilation and access are poor, and the ground there is broken and uneven.
The school says this project is urgent, as they need better teaching spaces. The design fits the school’s style, and it also meets its sustainability goals.
They think it will help the school long-term, and the community will benefit, too. It respects the area’s heritage, and this building would replace old classrooms.
If approved, they will build it behind Bishopgate facing Friary Lane. Some neighbors object to this project, and they told Wiltshire Council about their concerns.
A city councilor named Ian Tomes objects, as he thinks it’s too big and oppressive. He calls it overdevelopment of the site.
He said students would look into gardens, and people would lose privacy. He thinks it is intrusive for The Friary residents, and added that it rests on a flood plain.
Neil Harrison, who lives on Friary Lane, also shared his concerns. He said the school plans to build a building that would tower over them, potentially causing a loss of privacy.
Heidi Byatt said few Friary kids attend that school. She thinks replacing the old units works better and would create a smaller impact on neighbors.
The school stated the building would have three floors; the top floor is in the roof space to reduce height. They say it will not impact neighbors or the views of the cathedral.