Detailed plans for Guernsey's new post-16 campus, which will create a truly adult life-long learning environment for all students, have been submitted.
A comprehensive planning application for the future of the Les Ozouets Campus is due to be published on the States of Guernsey website tomorrow, having recently been submitted by the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.
The submission includes 3D visuals of the site, aerial plans and a number of impact assessments. A four-page visual summary has been produced to help showcase the proposed development, which would deliver 15,000m2 of internal education and community spaces, including 1,700m2 of inside sporting and recreational facilities.
Significant consideration has been given to ensure that the campus fits in to its natural and physical surroundings, with minimal impact. A key ethos in the design process has been to deliver a site that is as environmentally neutral as possible, with lots of emphasis on preserving and enhancing green and open spaces. As part of that, a well-known mature Sweet Chestnut tree, which featured in the former St Peter Port school emblem, will be retained as part of the plan as a fitting nod to the site's legacy.
An independent traffic impact assessment has been carried out as part of the application. It concluded that any increased traffic impact would be low and can be mitigated with some minor alterations to the surrounding road networks. Many of the journeys that would be linked to the new campus already occur locally, going to and from the current College of FE campuses and current Sixth Form Centre. Independent noise and environmental impact assessments are equally positive.
More information about the plans can be found at www.ourfuture.gg/education
The new bespoke post-16 campus, with a sixth form centre and The Guernsey Institute co-located on the same site, will act as a centre of ambition and aspiration for all learners progressing from the island's three 11-16 schools. Students will be able to graduate to the campus, irrespective of their learning pathway, to join a mature, adult learning environment which will prepare them for their next steps into education or the world of work.
Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:
'The Committee has been very excited to see the plans for the post-16 campus come to life and is delighted to now be able to share them with the community. The new campus could a be a cultural game-changer for Guernsey and Alderney. Not only will the post-16 campus provide a truly adult learning environment for our young people, but it will also offer many educational and training opportunities to the community as part of our commitment to lifelong learning. Having had this vision supported by the States, we are extremely pleased with how the plans have progressed to develop the site with the right facilities to make it a reality.'
Nick Hynes, Director of Education and Senior Responsible Officer for the implementation of the new model of secondary and post-16 education, said:
'It has been an incredible team effort to get to this point and I want to thank everyone involved. I have been very assured by the thoroughness and quality of the design process. What we have is a comprehensive development plan which, if approved, will not only make excellent use of the site but will help us to deliver quality education to all our post-16 learners.'
