In early 2016 Walters & Cohen was approached to provide an outline feasibility statement for the education provision in a new village known as Symondshyde and for an extension to the town of Stanboroughbury, as part of a wider masterplan for new communities near Hatfield.
The project began with a design charrette attended by a wide range of stakeholders and the design team, led by urban planners DPZ, with whom we had previously worked on the masterplan for the Chapelton of Elsick. The charrette was a productive discussion; it was especially useful to be able to sketch out ideas and receive immediate feedback from the stakeholders.
One primary school and one all-through school are proposed. The Symondshyde primary school lies at the heart of the village to create a positive relationship with the community. In Stanboroughbury, we explored the idea of co-locating the primary and secondary school so that they can share facilities and make the most of resources and land. The area to the north of the school site will remain in the green belt so makes good use of the fields for a variety of sports.
After exploring options, a pavilion typology was chosen for the all-through school. This allows a phased construction and the opportunity for expansion in line with the new housing, as well as secure use of certain facilities outside of school hours.
