The governors of Philip Morant School and College are becoming increasingly concerned at the misinformation being distributed in the community of our school, which does not represent the true situation regarding the proposed access road.

Planning permission for the road was granted on appeal in 1999, when the inspector stated “there is a pressing need for new access arrangements for the school”.

We have been working ever since with Essex County Council to try to provide a safer access for our students, staff, visitors and the residents of Prettygate.

One of our aims is to ensure that, following the provision of the land for the access road, there should be no overall loss of public open space for the use of the local community.

Indeed, our wish is to see a net gain of public space, and we are working with the local authorities to try to achieve this for the benefit of the community as a whole.

Lorna Keane
Chairman of governors
Philip Morant
School and College
Rembrandt Way
Colchester

...There has been a great deal of coverage recently on the subject of the proposed access road to Philip Morant School, and, as one of the borough councillors in the Prettygate Ward, it is frustrating that it is impossible to please everyone.

I read an article in the press recently where the electorate were urged to fight to keep the small piece of land, about three quarters of an acre, which would be lost should the road go ahead.

The article concluded: “We are not convinced that Philip Morant school needs a road on one of the last pieces of open space we have left in Colchester”.

This is patently untrue.

Colchester is very fortunate that there is a great deal of public open space in the borough.

There is High Woods Country Park, the Hilly Fields and Lexden Park, to name but a few; and, locally to Prettygate, there is approximately 42 acres of open space named Westlands Country Park.

This is a recent addition and is accessible to people living both in Prettygate and Christchurch.

Is it such a bad deal to lose about 0.75 of an acre when the area has gained so many acres at Westlands?

In addition, the county council has confirmed that once the issue of the road is sorted, it would be prepared to hand over the Irvine Road field to “Fields in Trust”, which will be kept as public open space indefinitely.

Has due consideration ever been given to the plight of the residents living in the estate roads currently used to access Philip Morant School?

The new access road would take away the construction traffic, emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles, which would otherwise make those residents’ lives a further misery, and potentially create horrendous problems should an emergency occur and ambulances and/or fire appliances could not get through.

I, therefore, urge residents to vote, not for a very small piece of land, but for the £130million to be used for the benefit of improved schooling in Colchester.

Essex County Council has confirmed this will be lost, if the road does not go through. That’s a lot of money for under an acre of land.

However, whatever your personal views, please let the council know how YOU feel by writing to: Marie Rutherford, Colchester Borough Council, PO Box 5215, Town Hall, Colchester or e-mail marie.rutherford@ colchester.gov.uk <

Wyn Foster
Councillor
Prettygate Ward