Newcastle East Public School plan raises over-crowding concerns

Norma Rooney, 80, who has lived next door to the historic landlocked school for 23 years, received a letter on December 20 saying the department “intends to install a demountable classroom”.

She said she also received an “inaccurate” plan showing the proposed demountable built five metres away from her boundary fence, on the sloping playground.

“This is going to be a huge physical structure that is going to psychologically be very damaging,” Mrs Rooney said. “It’s going to very severely affect my standard of living, my environment and my little garden oasis. This towering structure will dominate my whole existence.”

A spokesman for the department, which is not required to lodge a development application, said “no decision has been made”.

“The department advised neighbours on December 20-21 of a proposal to install a demountable because enrolment projections suggested it may be needed, but a final decision will not be made until enrolment numbers are confirmed in the statewide class audit in February,” the spokesman said. “Neighbours will be further advised as decisions are made. The proposed location would maximise and leave sufficient recreation space, and comply with all relevant building regulations, including separation distances and drainage.”

But Mrs Rooney said she can’t help but feel distressed.

She said the department installed three demountables in 2000 as a “temporary” measure. She said one demountable seven metres from her bedroom blocked the sunlight and breeze and killed her garden.

Mrs Rooney said this and another demountable were replaced about a decade later with a new building. But the sole remaining demountable was joined about a year ago by a second demountable.

The department’s letter said adjoining land occupiers and the council had 21 days –  or until January 10 –  to provide comment for the department to consider for its review of environmental factors. Mrs Rooney has called for more consultation with parties absent during the holiday period.

School council president Mike Giles said the group was “very concerned” about population growth within the school enrolment zone. “Nobody wants another demountable and we certainly can’t lose any more play space.” He said the department had recently grouped schools into clusters. “The cluster that includes Newcastle East has been prioritised for addressing how to manage growth.” 

The Herald reported last year the school had taken in 59 more students than allowed under its own enrolment ceiling. 

Enrolment grew from 214 in 2012 to 245 in 2016, well above the school’s own ceiling of 186.

The department will close enrolment to siblings from out of zone families from 2019.

The spokesman said the government “constantly monitors changes in population and works with the Department of Planning and Environment, councils and developers to ensure its schools can accommodate enrolment changes”.

“The department has no plans for a new school in the Newcastle East area, and there are no plans for further demountables at Newcastle East Public School beyond the reference above,” the spokesman said.

“Current enrolment projections suggest the school’s enrolment may stabilise between 250 and 300 over approximately five years, with a rise in local enrolments balancing a reduction in non-local enrolments, although such projections are subject to regular review.”