Consultation group didn't put forward school for Bushey Country Club

The Observer has learnt Bushey Country Club Consultation Group never suggested, recommended, or even mentioned a school in its final report about the possible future use of the land.

Questions have been raised after Hertsmere Borough Council unveiled a proposal or 'preferred option' earlier this month for a school, along with an unknown number of homes and green spaces on the country club site.

Since a virtual public meeting was held on March 18, the Observer has contacted various organisations and people close to the proposal in an attempt to find out just how the idea for Hertfordshire's biggest school came about.

A Bushey Country Club sign by the entrance to the site

Consultation committee 'not aware' of school proposal

When Bushey Country Club closed in 2018, a consultation group – made up of a mixture of Bushey residents and councillors – was formed with the purpose of finding out what locals wanted to see on the vacant site.

The group, which had the backing of the borough council, held many focus groups and carried out a wide array of consultation. They wrote up a report of their findings, which was presented to the council’s Executive committee back in 2019.

The consultation groups' report, which can be found online, did not mention a secondary school anywhere. In fact, what people had called for more than anything else was new community facilities.

This paper has been told the first time the consultation group became aware of the idea of a secondary school on the country club site was in August last year via a Zoom meeting, when the council presented to them the same plan the public saw earlier this month.

The Observer understands there has been some "frustration" from some close to the consultation committee about how the plan for a school and how it came about was communicated to the public.

Indeed, the council has put together a list of FAQs that flooded in after the public meeting in an attempt to clear the situation up.

See more: Huge secondary school lined up for Bushey Country Club site

So where did the idea for a school come from?

Both Hertsmere Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council were approached for clarity on the creation of new school, with the county council in charge of education while the borough council leads on planning.

An allegation received by the Observer is the secondary school-led scheme has been "pushed" by the county council – but a comment received by the council suggests it is Hertsmere that has put forward the site as a potential site for a school.

This masterplan was presented to the public by Hertsmere Borough Council's architects. The red/brown shape indicates where a secondary school could be built

A county council spokesperson told the Observer: "The county council has advised Hertsmere of the supporting infrastructure, including schools, required as a result of new housing proposed in its local plan.

"Hertsmere have suggested that Bushey Country Club might provide a suitable secondary school site with a capacity for up to ten forms of entry. We will continue to work with Hertsmere to ensure that new school sites are located in suitable and sustainable locations."

While a borough council spokesperson said: "Indicative levels of longer term growth from the local education authority for the area do suggest that further secondary school provision for Bushey is likely to be required.

"This site could potentially address that requirement though, as was stressed during the online meeting, this is an outline design concept at this stage with a great deal of work yet to be done on developing this potential option and consultation."

What have locals said about the plans?

Social media has been awash with comments about the plans ever since it was broken in the public meeting.

Murray Lee, who lives in Bushey, and is chairman of Kemp Place Residents Association, told us: "Very disappointing to watch the proposal.

"It is badly thought out, an impracticable location and the wrong location for a school. If I had a three-year-old, they could have done better."

The two political parties with representation in Bushey have also spoken out.

In a video broadcast from the county club, Conservative councillor Seamus Quilty told viewers he and his colleague Jane West would be opposing any move to build a new school citing environmental concerns and the "amazing congestion"it would bring.

Meanwhile, the Bushey Liberal Democrats posted on Facebook that "Bushey deserves better" claiming the proposal "completely ignores residents’ views".

Both parties have also questioned the need for a new secondary school in Bushey.

See more: Does Bushey really need another secondary school? (Comment)

Aerial view of Bushey Country Club site

So what have we learnt and what happens next?

It has become quite clear the proposal put forward earlier this month for a school was not based on the findings of the consultation group which had been specifically set up to gauge public opinion.

Instead, the idea has been seemingly put together by council officers behind the scenes - although neither council seems keen to take responsibility for the proposal. 

In terms of what to expect next, there is no immediate rush, with Bushey Country Club currently operated by a wedding and events firm called S&M Ltd, with two years left to run on its lease.

The next major update on the site could come later this spring when Hertsmere Borough Council publishes its draft local plan, which could well include Bushey Country Club.