There is currently some capacity in Portishead’s schools, although there could be a deficit in secondary provision by 2026 without intervention. This reflects the rapid growth of the town over recent decades, and the school age bulge this has created and that is passing through the academic years.
If the masterplan proposals were being delivered as a single large scheme it could trigger the need to deliver a new primary school as it would create a new demographic bulge which the existing schools may not be able to meet.
However, as the area is in many different land ownerships, any change is expected to be gradual over a longer period of time. None of the individual schemes would either be large enough to trigger a school or have a site large enough to accommodate one.
Given this context, we expect that gradual delivery of new homes over a long period of time will create a need for school places which is itself gradual, and which follows the existing bulge through the school system rather than making it bigger.
Although the development of new homes won’t necessarily deliver a new school, each development will make a contribution to public funds which includes funding for school places. The local planning authority will continue to keep this under review and may need to allocate land for a school. Land owners and developers are strongly encouraged to engage at an early stage.
