Private school Wenona hits out at plans for new private school 220m from its school gates

A battle of the schools is brewing on the north shore as a leading private school fights off plans for a new independent school located just four minutes’ walk from its campus. See why.

A new 1560-student independent school has raised concerns from another private school – located just 220m away.

A north shore girls school is fighting off plans for a new independent school which would be located just 220m from its school gates.

Wenona School in North Sydney has raised multiple objections to a proposed new 1560-student coeducational campus, questioning whether there is demand for another school in the suburb.

The proposed new school at 41 McLaren St would be built and operated by private education company Inspired Education, catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

The new ‘vertical campus’ would involve adapting the eight-storey block known as ‘Simsmetal House’, with 34 classrooms, special learning areas and an outdoor terrace.

Wenona School – which is a four minute walk from the proposed new school site – has written to the Department of Planning raising 13 key concerns with the project.

A photo of the building (centre, front) where the new school would be located.

Wenona School has questioned the demand for another 1500 student campus in North Sydney, which already has one of the highest concentrations of private schools in Sydney including Marist Catholic College, Shore, Monte Sant’ Angelo and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.

“The Department should require the applicant to undertake a robust and evidence based supply and demand analysis that demonstrates there is current unmet demand for 1560 student places (and) that the unmet demand is in the North Sydney LGA,” Wenona School’s submission stated.

41 McLaren St would be adapted into a new school campus.

There are also concerns over the limited amount of play space provided for students within the proposed new high rise campus.

“The absence of suitable active and recreational playground space on site will necessitate the school’s students having to utilise off site facilities and infrastructure,” Wenona School’s submission states.

“Ultimately the introduction of nearly 1600 students will place additional pressure on existing open spaces such as St Leonards Oval and Primrose Park.”

Wenona – which has a current school headcount of 1500 students – has also raised concerns over traffic impacts including drop off and pick up arrangements at the new school.

Wenona School is located around the corner from the new school site.

Plans show the campus at 41 McLaren St is expected to be accessed by 436 cars each day while just 10 carparks are proposed to be provided on the site.

The basement level of the building would be converted into a turning bay access road for cars to drop off students during the busy morning and afternoon periods.

“The proposed provision of 10 carparking (spaces at the new school) is grossly underestimated and the absence of on-site carparking has implications for the surrounding street network and requires further justification,” Wenona’s submission states.

A concept plan of the new Inspired Education school.

“The design and operation of the pick-up and drop off arrangements should be reconsidered, particularly having regard to the consequential impacts to the surrounding road network.”

Inspired Education – which operates a number of other private schools in Sydney including Reddam House Woollahra – states in plans the development would provide a “significant piece of social infrastructure” and “contribute to the demand for educational facilities within the North Sydney local government area”.

Plans also state the campus would also provide “greater choice in school selection” for local families.

Wenona School in North Sydney.

“Limited space combined with rapid population growth within highly urbanised contexts has resulted in an increased demand for high-density and high-rise schools,” the plans state.

“To not invest in the development would exacerbate the service offering and capacity constraints of the existing educational infrastructure in the region.”

Other concerns raised by Wenona include the school’s intended operating hours and any activities proposed to be carried out on weekends.

Inspired Education was contacted by this publication about the concerns raised by Wenona School, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

According to its website, Inspired Education currently operates in 24 countries and has 70,000 students in more than 80 campuses.

Other schools operated by the company in Sydney include Reddam House in St Leonards.

The company’s plans have been lodged to the Department of Planning and remain under assessment.