Proposal for new Pacific Brook Christian School K-12 at Muswellbrook
A rural Hunter community is set for a brand new K-12 co-ed school costing $7.9 million to encourage “spontaneous, voluntary, and joyful learning opportunities for students”.
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Future education demands are set to be met for a rural Hunter community with a proposal for a brand new co-ed K-12 school.
The Pacific Group of Christian Schools has lodged a development application to build another school at Muswellbrook, an addition to the current school at Sowerby St, which is anticipated to outgrow the site.
If plans for a second Pacific Brook Christian School are approved, it will be located on Maitland Rd and will accommodate 140 students and 16 staff.
The proposed $7.9 million development, which is currently on public exhibition, will see the building of an administration and staff facility, five general learning areas, one specialist science classroom, a covered outdoor learning area and kiss and drop area for before and after school.
A State Significant Development Application was originally lodged for a new school at the site accommodating more than 600 children in 2021 but, following feedback over flooding issues, it was withdrawn.
Those plans were revised and a significant reduction in the size of the school was made as well as a reduction in costs to build it.
Centred around “community, culture and place”, the new proposed school is a place where students can gather and interact with the environment.
Planning documents state the orientation of the buildings and interaction with the landscape “encourages spontaneous, voluntary, and joyful learning opportunities for students to explore”.
Planners have determined that the proposed development is in the public interest as it will assist in meeting current and future education demands for the residents of Muswellbrook and the surrounding catchment area.
“Will provide high quality learning and teaching spaces with flexible layout arrangements and durable finishes ensuring the proposal operates as a long-life, high utility and low maintenance educational establishment,” a planner commented.
“Providing a modern education facility for the existing and future school population (K-12) of Muswellbrook and provides employment opportunities during the construction and operation.”
Historically the site had been used as a plant nursery for NSW State Forests for decades but that concluded five to seven years ago when the asset was divested from the NSW Government and purchased by Pacific Brook Christian School.
The proposed plans are open to public feedback until September 18.
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