Highwood Nursery is to relocate to Brockenhurst College’s main campus site in 2015. With funding support from Hampshire County Council, the new accommodation will ensure that this well used full day child care resource remains in Brockenhurst and can continue to offer a minimum of 70 places, possibly increasing to 80 places, subject to Ofsted agreement.
Currently, Highwood Nursery is located in Highwood Road, Brockenhurst, and is leased from the Brockenhurst Village Trust. Unfortunately, in recent years and due to their age, the existing buildings are in need of major repair and unable to meet the current needs of the nursery. The County Council, Village Trust and College had previously worked in partnership on a successful planning application for a new facility, to replace the old buildings, with capacity for 50 children. These plans could not be progressed however, as building costs put the project beyond the level of funding available.
Highwood Nursery’s new home on the College Campus will make use of an existing facility on the site. Funding from the County Council will be used for the essential and required modifications to the building making it suitable as an early education and childcare facility.
Councillor Peter Edgar, Executive Member for Education at Hampshire County Council, commented: “We are very pleased to have been able to work with Brockenhurst College to agree a successful solution and avoid any loss of childcare and early years education places in the New Forest which would have been detrimental to the communities that the nursery serves. We are grateful to our partners: the Brockenhurst Village Trust for its support of the nursery and the project to date; and to the College for ensuring the nursery will continue to support young families. This is a yet another example of Hampshire County Council’s commitment to supporting early years education in the county.”
Di Roberts CBE, Principal of Brockenhurst College commented: “The College is proud to have played a part in the success of Highwood Nursery over the years and we’re delighted to be able to provide this important nursery provision for our community.”
Bruce Read, Chair of Brockenhurst Village Trust, said: “It has been our privilege to have provided Highwood Nursery with the space to run this important community facility for the past few years; it is a pity that building costs were just too high for a new facility in Highwood Road but we are pleased that Brockenhurst College has been able to offer a great opportunity within its campus.”
Building work will commence in January 2015, the new nursery facility will open later in the year offering (as now) places for 74 children of local residents and parents working in the area
