New school through relocation

The Forest High School relocation

About the project
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The NSW Government is investing $8.6 billion in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This builds on the more than $9.1 billion invested in projects delivered since 2017, a program of $17.7 billion in public education infrastructure.

This includes relocation of The Forest High School, which is part of the re-zoning and planning framework for Frenchs Forest to create a new town centre for the community.

The Forest High School will be relocated to a portion of 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights. This is located within the current intake area for The Forest High School.

Further updates regarding The Forest High School relocation will be released as the project progresses.

The benefits

Modern flexible learning spaces for up to 1500 students.
A new library, canteen and administration spaces.
A multi-purpose sports and performance hall.
Outdoor sports field and courts.
Landscaped recreation and outdoor learning spaces.

Timeline

Planning

Design

In progress

Complete

Progress summary

The revised design for The Forest High School was presented to the school and local community at a Community Information Session in August and feedback was considered in the final preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the State Significant Development (SSD) application. The EIS considers such matters as traffic, noise, operations, ecology, bushfire, and construction management.
The SSD application, including the EIS and all technical reports, was lodged with the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) and the public exhibition period ended on Wednesday 14 December 2022.

Next steps

The Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) will request a Response to Submissions report, which provides an opportunity for the project team to respond to submissions made during the public exhibition of the SSD application. When lodged with DPE, the report will be published on the planning portal: pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/new-forest-high-school.
DPE will complete their assessment of the planning application and will provide consent conditions if the approval to proceed is granted. The approval process can take between 6 and 9 months.
Construction of the new high school can start after planning approval has been granted and following the tender process for a construction contractor.
There is an existing development application approved by Council to demolish McLeod House and prepare the site for construction. The site will be secured in late 2022 and demolition of McLeod House will take place in early 2023. More information will be provided to the community ahead of works starting.

Project gallery

Image: Artist impression of the COLA and sports field
Image: Artist impression of the aerial view of the school from Allambie Road
Image: Artist impression of the main pedestrian entry on Allambie Road
Image: Artist impression of the side pedestrian entry on Allambie Road

Additional information

Frequently asked questions

Why is The Forest High School relocating?

How accessible will the school be?

The school will include supported learning facilities for specialist support classes. The facilities will comply with the Educational Facilities Standards and Guidelines (EFSG) and Education Disability Discrimination Act including, but not limited to:

■ accessibility through lifts, ramps, walkways, and other measures including height adjustable furniture

■ provision of accessible bathrooms for both students and staff

■ provision of accessible drop off zones and parking.

How will traffic and transport be managed?

A range of traffic mitigation and transport infrastructure has been proposed to support the new school and the local community. Studies to measure the impact of the new school development to key intersections in the surrounding area have been undertaken, including cumulative impacts from other known future developments. These studies show that the proposed measures significantly mitigate the introduction of the school to its new location.

When will construction start?

Construction work can start on site after the SSD application is approved and following the tender process for a construction contractor.

There is an existing development application approved by Council to demolish McLeod House and prepare the site for construction. The site will be secured in late 2022 and demolition of McLeod House will take place in early 2023.

More information will be provided to the community ahead of works starting.

When will students move to the new site?

What is the proposed intake area for the new school?

The new school will be located within the current intake area for The Forest High School. Intake area boundaries are regularly updated to balance enrolments equally between local schools to ensure every child in NSW has a well-resourced local public school to attend. The Department of Education will confirm any changes to intake areas closer to the school opening using the most current demographic data.

Fast facts

Architect

Architectus

Address

135 Frenchs Forest Rd W Frenchs Forest NSW 2086

Funding year

2021/22

News

New vision for Frenchs Forest

A reinvigorated vibrant town centre, 2000 new homes, road upgrades and more public space form a 20-year vision to support the future gr (...)

Get involved

We are committed to working together with our school communities to deliver the best possible learning facilities for students.
Opportunities for school communities to get involved in the project will be shared on this page.

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Get in contact

Your feedback on this project is important to us. For more information, questions or to make a comment please email us at schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au or complete the contact form.