CHAPTER 9 - A REGIONAL CENTRE FOR EDUCATION. HEALTH AND CULTURE

INTRODUCTION

9.1 Middlesbrough has the opportunity, with neighbouring Stockton, to develop as one of the north’s most significant cultural and education centres. This can only be achieved by building upon and continuing improvements in the education, health and cultural aspects of the area. Good community facilities are essential to maintain and improve the quality of life of the people living and working in Middlesbrough. The Council’s vision, ‘Raising Hope’, is built upon a foundation of education and care of children and young people and support for vulnerable people in Middlesbrough. These are also central themes of the Community Strategy.

EDUCATION

9.2 Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a 15 year government programme designed to renew and refurbish the country’s secondary schools. This programme is likely to include a rationalisation of some school sites within the borough with most of the building and refurbishment activity planned to run from 2008-2011.

9.3 The issues facing the Council include declining pupil numbers and a lack of flexible educational accommodation. The BSF programme is an opportunity to provide refurbished or modern purpose-built facilities with the right number of places, supported by the right staffing structures to deliver the national curriculum, extended schools, personalised learning and the 14-19 agenda.

9.4 The main proposals that form part of the Council’s Outline Business Plan include:

amalgamating Kings Manor and Hall Garth schools, and building a new purpose built school on the same site;
providing a single Roman Catholic secondary school for the town on the site of the existing St David’s;
the redevelopment of the Acklam Grange school; and
a new Ashdale school to be located adjacent to Unity City Academy in Cargo Fleet Lane.

9.5 The decisions on where the investments are to be made and where any new schools might be located, or which schools are going to be surplus to requirements, are yet to be made. However, it is necessary that the Core Strategy reflects this important national initiative, which will provide major benefits for the town.

HEALTH

9.6 Health is a major issue in Middlesbrough, and one of the seven themes of the Community Strategy. Access to health and social care services in the town has improved with quicker assessments and shorter waiting times to see a GP. Residents have ready access to NHS dental care and local service providers are much better at co-ordinating services to help maintain people in their own homes. James Cook University Hospital offers a range of treatments and services, which in some cases (e.g. cancer treatments), are amongst the best in Europe. Proposals to replace St. Luke's Hospital with a modern purpose designed mental health and learning disabilities facility are well advanced. This, along with the Health Trust's facilities at West Lane, will help to deliver a modern mental health service to the people of Middlesbrough and wider area.

9.7 As set out in Spatial Objective 13 and policy CS4, the Council will ensure access to health facilities will be maintained.

CULTURE

9.8The enhancement and promotion of cultural activities is important to the well-being of a town and its residents. Culture is an inclusive concept that embraces a wide variety of activities, places, values and beliefs, which in general terms is about the way and quality of life. A comprehensive cultural offer can lead to the creation of new jobs, higher retail expediture and an increase in the number of visitors to an area. It also presents a diverse and vibrant sense of place, encouraging pride in the community and cohesion within it. Policy CS4 and the Council’s cultural action plan – Creative Frontiers – consolidate and provide the detail on which the development and provision of arts and cultural facilities within Middlesbrough are to be addressed.

POLICY CS16 EDUCATION

The Council will ensure that in accordance with the spatial strategy of this plan, and its Education Vision, that everyone now and in the future has access to the facilities required to meet their educational needs. This will be achieved by having regard to the provisions of the:

School Organisation Plan;
School Asset Management Plan; and
Building Schools for the Future Education Vision.

When considering the provision of new facilities, either extensions to existing schools or new schools, regard will be had to the following criteria:

the contribution the facility makes to the regeneration of an area;
the size of the school, with new schools expected to meet the minimum size requirements for the type of facility proposed;
where an existing school is overcrowded, the proposal will either eliminate the overcrowding or reduce it to acceptable levels;
opportunities to incorporate other related educational and community initiatives such as sport and recreational facilities;
the design and use of materials is such that maintenance and running costs are minimised and a high quality learning environment is created that maximises the ability to meet current and future education requirements; and,
facilities are accessible to the catchment that they are designed to serve, and a School Travel Plan is prepared.

When considering the future of those facilities identified as surplus to requirements, regard will be had to the following criteria when assessing alternative uses: