Future High Schools for us. Useful to know pop’n projections.

[Andrea Madon]

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<div dir=”auto”>The population of north Canberra is planned to triple in the next few years from 52,000 to over 160,000 with the 37,000 new dwellings in the Canberra Gateway Corridor and on-going infill policies.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>There is much anecdotal evidence from day care providers and primary schools that they are full and over-flowing. A number of demountable classrooms have been required. We have only two high schools. Compare this with Canberra’s initial growth period up to 1975 when we had five high schools. There will now be roughly three times as many people in north Canberra than last year.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>The Watson High School site is the only available government land free and available for a new high school in north Canberra.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>If the government does not earmark this site for a future high school it will have few accessible options to meet the education needs of our young population. Families and children could be disadvantaged.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>In the past Treasury’s population forecasts fed into schools planning. If the population estimates and demographic profiles that flow from redevelopment adjacent to and in the streets behind Northbourne Avenue have not been shared with the Department of Education then there may be a gap. Schools tend to need long lead times for their own planning.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>The Assistant Treasurer advised me that:</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>”In relation to the Canberra Gateway corridor, The City and Urban Design Framework (refer https://www.nca.gov.au/plan…/policy-and-strategy/city-and- gateway-urban-design-framework/city-and-gateway) was in the early stages of development when the population projections for 2018-2058 were completed in September/October 2018 and released in January 2019. As a result, it was not taken into account in those projections.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>”…the actual capacity related to this development was not known at the time assumptions were finalised for the population projections.” Letter to me, dated 16/12/2020, Ref: CMTEDD2020/5430, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>It would be very useful to know what figures Education are working with.</div>
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<div dir=”auto”>The number of demountables springing up in school ovals mean both play space and public open space are being squeezed. As the number of children rises the per capita play space shrinks and pressure on play equipment can mean that schools ration access to reduce the risk of accidents. Telopea did that years ago in response to a child getting hurt, and it was very frustrating for the children.</div>
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