Education Need Study
for Cambridge Urban Expansion

Bidwells researched the need for a primary school as part of the Darwin Green Phase 2&3 development.

 What we did

• Assessed the quantum of local primary school provision

• Identified current and future capacity and compared this with projected demand for school places

• Organised and chaired round table discussions with local headteachers, governors, ward councils and education officers to understand the impact of recent school expansion on other schools’ viability
  
  

Result

• Identified excess capacity in the system calling into question the need for the primary school on the clients’ site

• Provided evidence to support a S106 agreement that the land be considered for residential use, if demand for education does not materialise

• Client was happy to have this land use flexibility, without incurring additional planning processes.