A PROPOSAL to build an improved Care Home for the elderly in Thame, on part of Lord Williams’s school playing fields, is being considered.
The following statement has been issued by the Governors of Lord Williams?s School:
“The Governors…. are pleased to announce that they have been presented with a golden opportunity to develop the sports facilities at Lord Williams?s Upper School whilst at the same time providing the resource to develop Thame?s provision for the elderly.
“The Governors were approached by the Oxfordshire Care Partnership which needs to re-develop the Meadowcroft Home for Older People to meet the new legislative requirements for homes for the elderly. In order to re-develop the existing premises it will be necessary to transfer the ownership of a small part of the Lower School Playing Fields in Towersey Road from the Directorate of Learning and Culture to the Oxfordshire County Council Social and Health Care Directorate. This will enable the Oxfordshire Care Partnership to build a new care home that meets all the new specifications for homes.
The transfer of the land, which is approximately 0.6 of an acre, will provide the school with the capital receipt to enable it to construct an Astro-turf (all-weather) playing surface on the school?s Upper School site. Such a playing facility would be a huge benefit to the school and to community sports clubs as a year-round facility sorely-needed by Thame and the surrounding area.
The proposal will require the consent of the Department for Education and Science as well as the relevant planning permissions for the Home for the Elderly and the all-weather playing surface. The Governors of Lord Williams?s School have given their approval for the scheme on the basis that permissions are sought and granted and that the scheme for the Astro-turf can be funded from the transfer of the section of land.
Anne Clark, Chair of Governors at Lord Williams?s School, said ?This is a great opportunity to provide Thame with two much needed facilities. The corner of playing field in question is an awkward shape and consequently little used by the school. The benefit to Thame of having an all-weather pitch whilst giving the town a state-of-the-art home for the elderly is an opportunity too good to miss.?
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