NSW Government: Playing ‘catch up’ with proposed Green Square Primary School
Image: The NSW Government is in the planning phase for a new primary school in Green Square. Photo: NSW Government.
By KATELYN MILLIGAN
The NSW Government’s proposed Green Square Primary School has been criticised for being too little, too late.
The Government has recently announced plans to deliver a 600-place primary school to accommodate the growing enrolment demands of the Green Square area.
Concerns have been raised by community members surrounding the demand it will meet in the area; specifically, doubts that a single school will be able to accommodate an increase of over 20,000 residents.
Despite the City of Sydney’s 2014 Draft Infrastructure Plan for Green Square stating that at least four new primary schools would be needed by 2031, the first primary school is only being planned now.
State Member for Heffron Ron Hoenig believes the NSW Government is playing catch up.
“The Government have been engaging in catch up with the provisions of infrastructure for the Green Square area because they’re only about 55% into the total population for Green Square,” Mr Hoenig told City Hub.
“So really, I don’t think it’s going to be sufficient.”
Whilst there is capacity in surrounding schools, by the time the project is completed it may be too late.
Preparing for 2030
Green Square will have an estimated population of over 60,000 residents squeezed into 3 square kilometres by 2030, making it the most densely populated residential area in Australia.
“What they need to do is have a firm demographic plan and timeframe of where they anticipate the demand for schools will be …. whether they need new schools or whether they need to reallocate Education Department resources, there needs to be a plan,” Mr Hoenig said.
The proposal is still in the planning stage, with a State Significant Development Application yet to be lodged. If successful, the main works for the school will begin in mid-2022.
The new primary school on Joynton Avenue will include integrated community facilities, such as basketball courts, community hall and multi-purpose spaces designed to be shared by local businesses and residents outside of school hours.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore believes that the new Green Square school and its integrated facilities will help meet the population demands in one of Australia’s fastest-growing communities.
“The City will contribute $25 million to this revolutionary school to provide much-needed community facilities that will be activated day and night for the whole community to use,” Lord Mayor Moore told City Hub.
“Close to the aquatic centre and library, this school will be an important addition to the area’s educational, social and cultural life.”
The project will be built on the former South Sydney Hospital site and will be jointly funded by the NSW Government and the City of Sydney Council, sharing costs based on pro-rata usage.
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