Manly Vale Public school opposed by council units, 100 submissions and 1500 signatures

A $23 MILLION government plan to more than double the size of a school by building into bushland is opposed by five council units.

Ellen Bryne is a passionate protester agains plans to extend manly vale school into bushland. She has gathered nearly 1500 signatures against the plan which will harm wildlife.

A $23 MILLION government plan to more than double the size of a school by building into bushland is opposed by five council units.

More than 100 public submissions against the plan for four new buildings at Manly Vale School have also been made, and one passionate protester has collected up to 1500 signatures, which she plans to hand to State Premier, Mike Baird.

Former student of the school Ellin Byrne, 29, said the plan was “a joke”

“I can’t just sit here and not do anything about it,” she said. “It’s just so stupid.”

Manly Vale Public School is bulging at the seams.

Part of the application made to Warringah Council by the NSW Education department, with the dark grey buildings showing the planned expansion.

Warringah Council’s traffic engineering and landscapes officers; parks, reserves and foreshores officers and two natural environment units have all slammed the plan.

As reported in the Manly Daily, the development would see classrooms, a canteen and hall, offices and a library built on the site, not far from Manly Dam. And while four endangered species have been found there, a government report says it is “unlikely to have a significant effect” on the animals.

Powerful owl, eastern bentwing-bat, grey-headed flying-fox, red-crowned toadlet and eastern pygmy-possum are among species living in the area.

Powerful owl, eastern bentwing-bat, grey-headed flying-fox, red-crowned toadlet and eastern pygmy-possum are among species living in the area.

Residents have said they want the expansion on the school’s existing footprint.

More than 300 trees will also be removed – a size double that of the SCG. It would also need parts of War Memorial Park to be cleared for bushfire protection.

This was one of Ms Byrns projects when she was at the school. She has gathered nearly 1500 signatures against the plan.

However, a handful of residents support the plan.

A Department of Education spokesman said the groups that had been consulted for the development included the council; RFS; Primary Industries; Office of Environment and Heritage; Metro Local Aboriginal Land Council; and Guri-ngai Local Aboriginal Edu-cation Consultative Group.