The Heights primary school at Mapledurham Playing Fields opens after June half-term. I had a look around it on Friday 16 April but haven't yet had time to share my photos. The parking area in front of the tennis courts and the majority of the area in front of the Pavilion has now opened as per Kier promised schedule.
In the run-up Kier, the DfE’s contractors, have got permission from the Trustees for two items detailed below the image to enable the paved access route from the car park to the playing fields to be completed on time to be available for public use when the school opens.
- Temporary heras fencing to replace hoarding line whilst Kier construct the paved access ramp into the playing fields between the school and Pavilion
- Temporary relocation of some welfare units onto a small area of grass at the rear of the Pavilion until 7 June
First item
Kier are going to replace the hoarding located between the school and Pavilion with a temporary heras fence, but 2m to the right of the hoarding‘s current position to allow them to construct in a safe manner the access ramp and connect it to the breedon gravel footpath next to the children’s play area.
This work will be of direct benefit for MPF users as this paved access route is for everyone coming and going from the Pavilion car park directly into MPF to all the facilities such as the children’s play area and breedon paths for walking, cycling and running.
Second item
Due to Covid-19, Kier had to increase the number of welfare units on site for their workforce to comply with Covid-19 construction regulations. These welfare units are on the external areas within the school’s external area for the school pupils’ Early Years outdoor space and the staff car park.
There is no other space to relocate the welfare units within the school’s grounds so Kier asked to re-site them within the car park. Officers and I were opposed to this. Instead the Trustees, officers and I have agreed that Kier may use a small part of the area of grass at the rear of the Pavilion which will be heras fenced (see above plan and photo below).
This area is currently not used as the Pavilion is closed due to Covid-19 and may not be fully open for the next period.
Access to the paved area at the rear of the Pavilion will be maintained. However there will be a short period when Kier complete the paving outside the football changing rooms when this side of the Pavilion will not be available. Kier will confirm the actual dates.
Other related news
The Council’s contractor, Agripower, are scheduled to return on Monday 24 May to install the secondary sand grooves drainage to cross connect with the installed primary drainage in the 30,000m2 of new sports pitches. As this is ‘tractor and sand groove machine’ operation, it is not envisaged to erect any heras fencing or barriers during this work as it is comparable to tractor grass cutting or pitch slitting operations that take place across the parks and regularly occurs within the need for additional barriers. The area will be able to be walked on soon after the sane grooves are installed. A temporary compound to store the sane will be located in the grass area next to the tennis courts and pavilion.
This work will take up to 3 weeks to complete (weather dependent) and the area will be available for use after the works are complete.
I'll share my photos of how the school is coming along shortly. In the meantime do contact me if you have any questions on the enabling works detailed above.
