733. Hon ALISON XAMON to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the calls to review the design and location of the new school building to be added to the Mount Hawthorn Primary School site.
(1) Should the school community be successful in having the design and location of this building reviewed, will the minister commit to fully funding the reviewed design and ensure that construction proceeds in a timely manner?
(2) During the design process for the new school building, was the Mount Hawthorn Primary School fig tree assessed for historical and cultural significance?
(3) Is the minister aware that the amenity value of the fig tree that is currently proposed to be destroyed is over $400 000?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) No. The location of the proposed facility was undertaken in consultation with the school community. The Mount Hawthorn Primary School site is a constrained site with limited opportunities for the provision of new facilities without loss of recreational areas. An alternative to the current design would increase the cost. The design of a building on a new location would result in a significant delay, as the design and approval process would need to recommence. The school is under accommodation pressure, with transportable classrooms to be located on the hard courts for 2018. Any delay will impact on the school operations, as all students may not be accommodated on the site.
The placement and design of the new teaching block was carefully considered to provide an inclusive open space between the new preprimary building and the current education support centre. The relocation of the building would not meet fire separation requirements, as the new building would be too close to existing buildings. The education support centre would not support the moving of the building to another position, as this would further exclude the Autism Early Intervention Centre from the play areas with the mainstream preprimary students. The placement of the building also allows the play spaces to be shielded from Scarborough Beach Road.
(2) The City of Vincent has advised the Department of Education that the tree was not registered as a significant tree on its register. The Mount Hawthorn Primary School community is in support of the location and design of the new building. Identifying the location for the new development commenced in 2014 and was undertaken in consultation with the school and the school board. The board and parents and citizens association considered an option to have the tree relocated but were unable to support it for a number of reasons, including the safety risk to children.
(3) The amenity provided by the new facilities is considered to outweigh that provided by the tree. The proposed planting of mature trees and enhanced green spaces will provide additional shade and nature play areas for the school.