St Joseph's playing field "may be a better alternative to Victoria Park"

We advised on 25 March 2010 that sportscotland would be liable to object to the council's planning application for the proposed new West End schools, and can reveal their further objections to the council's claim to use Victoria Park for playing fields. sportscotland wrote to the council on 16 March 2010 to:

"... raise concerns that the level of potential sports provision would be limited. The park's surface is primarily sloped so there is not great scope for formal pitch sports, although it may offer the potential to host races during a school sports day. There are no pitch markings or enclosures of any kind, which are operational. The park, although maintained well by the council will be subject to dog fouling as well. The wide open nature of the park would also make if difficult to monitor the children who would use the park. In its current form Victoria Park is not well suited for the schools' external pitch provision."

"Blackness Road is a fairly busy road and if any children were to go from the school to the Park they would have to be accompanied by at least 3 members of staff, stopping at each of the four road junctions. For a group of children travelling time could stretch beyond 10 minutes per journey, taking 20 minutes away from a PE lesson. The alternative route further north through the quieter streets of Logie Avenue, although safer would still require about 10 minutes walking time each way. Although Victoria Park seems to be the preferred option for the council, the limited sports offer makes it less than ideal."

There is a final irony in Sportscotland's advice, given that the council has agreed to transfer ownership of St Joseph's grounds to the Al-Maktoum Foundation on 16 August 2010, if planning is approved on that date:

"I am aware that St Joseph's primary school has a blaes pitch nearby, which is partially used for a car park. This site is also approximately 500m from the proposed site. If a 60m x 40m Synthetic Grass pitch was provided here this may be a better alternative to Victoria Park. The site is enclosed therefore it would be easier to monitor the children [our emphasis]. Has this site been considered?"

Their letter to the council ends:

"Overall, given that the application does not provide sufficient playing fields in accordance with sportscotland's 'School Playing Fields' - Planning and Design Guidance, sportscotland would be liable to object to this application. I would encourage the council to consider upgrading sports pitches in the local vicinity in order to address this underprovision."

The council received qualified approval from Scottish Ministers to proceed with the schools project, on the understanding that:

"Playing fields of the requisite size for two primary schools (0.6ha) will be carved out of Victoria Park, approximately a quarter of a mile away"

but given sportscotland's expert opinion that Victoria Park is "less than ideal", will the council now go back to Scottish Ministers to ask for further permission to proceed with this proposal?

Having already asked for unprecedented permission to proceed even though the site does not meet the minimum government regulations governing site size, will the council now ask for permission to proceed even though the proposal will not provide for playing fields as required by the School Premises regulations?