School Relocation Plan to Be Re-examined After Public Opposition

A proposal to relocate a school is scheduled for further review following objections from the public. Hampshire County Council had previously stated that a plan to move Henry Cort Community College from Fareham to a new site in North Whiteley, effective September 2027, represented the most viable available option. The council indicated that this transfer would create an estimated 900 to 1,200 secondary school places, which are needed in the developing Whiteley area. However, councillors requested a more detailed examination of the proposal after a consultation revealed that 72% of respondents wished to keep the existing site operational. The local authority’s plans involve transferring Henry Cort Community College from its current Hillson Drive location in Fareham to the new North Whiteley secondary school site, situated approximately five miles (8km) away. This new secondary school is intended to address the projected demand for school places throughout the Whiteley area, which has seen 3,500 new homes constructed and an additional 2,000 homes anticipated. The relocation was one of three alternatives under consideration for Henry Cort’s future, as the school is expected to experience a decrease in pupil numbers once the new facility opens. Out of 1,142 responses received during a consultation, only 22% endorsed the relocation option, whereas 72% advocated for constructing the new school while retaining Henry Cort, albeit with a smaller catchment area. Roz Chadd, the Cabinet member for children’s services, consented to move forward with a formal consultation regarding the relocation, with a definitive decision scheduled for a subsequent date. She stated her awareness that the council’s favored option did not align with the input gathered during the informal consultation conducted earlier this year, but maintained that it represented the “most sensible, long-term and viable way forward.” Chadd further asserted that maintaining existing school sites concurrently with the new school would result in “educational and financial decline.” Subsequently, members of the children and young people select committee formally challenged the decision, requesting the council to scrutinize it with greater thoroughness. Liberal Democrat member Prad Bains commented that the community felt “disillusioned” by the decision. He stated, “It’s disappointing that the cabinet member has actively chosen to ignore the overwhelming community response on this vital issue.”