AT least a dozen new public and private schools will be needed in the next 15 years to support population growth in Cumberland.
The case for more schools is included in a Draft Community Wellbeing report from Cumberland Council which will be open for public comment until February next year.
According to the Draft, couples with children are the dominant household type in the local government area (LGA) making up 40 per cent of all households, something set to continue until 2036.
As well as seven government secondary schools, 17 Catholic system and six independent schools, plus two TAFE campuses at Lidcombe and Granville, the LGA already has 23 government primary schools but 11 have already exceeded their enrolment caps.
The report stated that Cumberland was “experiencing strong population growth”, suggesting that five new government primary schools and two to three secondary schools were needed to meet expected demand, along with four to five Catholic schools plus an additional one to two independent schools.
Drawing together data from a range of council and state government strategies into “a concise and effective platform of advocacy”, the Draft also examines public transport, local employment opportunities, health services, recreation and parks, environmental considerations and emergency services.
Outlining the situation as it stands now, the results of its own Community Satisfaction Survey, as well as “challenges presented by increased demand” and what the council is advocating for on behalf of residents, the report says if not addressed in a timely manner those challenges “can affect the liveability and overall wellbeing of the Cumberland community”.
