New Warnervale public school in doubt

Fears are growing that the long awaited new public school at Warnervale is not going to happen in 2019 or any time soon. The group responsible for planning it has not met in months.

More demountables have been installed at some public schools as uncertainty grows over the promised new Warnervale Public School.

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Warnervale’s promised new public school will almost certainly not be built this year.

That’s the fear of Central Coast P and C President Sharryn Brownlee who said the group in charge of the project had not met at all for the second half 2018 with no meeting scheduled so far this year.

Ms Brownlee, who is the community representative on that project reference group, said a site for the school had not yet been locked down.

“Even if everything was approved tomorrow, I doubt that it could be built this year,” she said.

“We want some assurance from all sides that the school will definitely go ahead and in what time frame.”

Central Coast P & C spokeswoman Sharryn Brownlee said parents wanted assurance about plans for Warnervale’s new public school. Picture:Peter Clark

The NSW Department of Education announced that planning had begun on the school in December 2017, boasting that it would include 20 new “future focused” classrooms and a hall with capacity for 1000 students.

The school would accommodate up to 460 students to cope with rapid growth in the population of the area.

However, Ms Brownlee said there was now real uncertainty about what would happen next and when.

The suburb of Warnervale is growing rapidly. Image: Google Maps.

“I am very worried that the funding allocated to the school could go back to treasury and the Central Coast could be back to waiting again.” she said.

“Schools are being built elsewhere in NSW but nothing has been finalised here.

“Meanwhile at least half a dozen new demountable buildings have gone up Woongarah, Warnervale and Wadalba Public Schools — hundreds of kids being squashed into schools that were never designed to take them.

Artist's impression of the proposed development at Nikko Road Warnervale.

“There’s been plenty of good community consultation but nothing has come from it.

“We have been very patient on this project — we are not just agitating for no reason.”

Population pressures in the north of the Central Coast continue to grow — particularly around Warnervale.

At least three subdivision applications were lodged last year including one for 70 new lots in Nikko Road and 88 in Hakone Road. Another 70 residential lots are proposed between Viginia and Minnesota Roads at nearby Hamlyn Terrace.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of new families moving into that area of the Central Coast,” Mrs Brownlee said.

The Minister for Education has been approached for clarification and is expected to respond later today.