Leading developer Bradcorp, together with Anglican Schools Corporation, today announced an agreement to establish a much needed independent K-12 school beside the Lakes Precinct, the first stage in its development at Wilton Junction a proposed new township in Sydney’s south-west.
Bradcorp Chief Executive Peter Brennan said the land will be purchased by Anglican Schools Corporation under favourable terms to provide an educational facility as an essential first step in establishing the new community.
“Over the many years we have developed communities in the Macarthur region, we have made education a priority,” said Mr Brennan. “We are very pleased to have reached this milestone agreement with Anglican Schools Corporation to provide a foundation school for Wilton Junction which will eventually be home to 35,000 people.”
“We are intent on building a strong and healthy community here at Wilton Junction and that begins with being able to offer first class education to the families who will establish homes here,” added Mr Brennan.
Anglican Schools Corporation’s Acting CEO, Jack Chalmers, said the new school would be under the auspices of Wollondilly Anglican College – Tahmoor, and would be known as Wollondilly Anglican College – Lakeside Campus.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to establish a school in the early stages of creating a community.” Mr Chalmers added, “A school is the soul of any community and a centrepiece around which residents can interact.”
Mr Chalmers said the purpose-built school on the 20 acre (8 hectares) site would require DA approval, upon the rezoning of Wilton Junction.
The school will be within easy walking and cycling distance of approximately 12,000 homes.
“The best investment we could possibly make at Wilton Junction is in securing the education of the young people who will grow up here,” said Mr Brennan. “Families want diversity of choice in education of their children and the Anglican Church has firmly established itself, particularly in the Macarthur region, as a respected provider of quality education producing well-rounded citizens of the future.”
Dr Stuart Quarmby, Headmaster of Wollondilly Anglican College said, “Our College is thrilled to announce the new Lakeside Campus in the heart of the future township of Wilton Junction in partnership with Bradcorp. The concept of a sister campus providing a high quality Christian education on a greenfield site in the heart of this developing community will go a long way to assisting our next generation of leaders develop their academic, moral, spiritual and social potential. We are especially pleased to be working with Bradcorp who have a demonstrated commitment to building the communities of the future.”
“There has been a groundswell of local opinion calling for a third secondary school in the area and the Lakeside Campus is planned to grow to a Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 College of around 1,200 students in its own right in the future, emulating the success of the current College at Tahmoor. People want educational choice. The new campus is planned to provide state-of-the-art, hi-tech educational facilities including playing fields, air-conditioned classrooms, multiple Information Resource Centres, a Creative and Performing Arts Centre, a Gymnasium and ambitions plans for water-based activities on the lake. It will have a foundation in the pursuit of academic, sporting and creative and performing arts excellence, the hallmark of its’ big-sister College,” Dr Quarmby said. “As the new Campus grows, provision will be made for preferred placement of students at the existing campus.”
Helping Build Better Communities has been integral to Bradcorp’s underlying philosophy. Bradcorp launched the Community Partnership Fund in July 1998 to demonstrate its commitment to local communities. The Fund has since made donations now in excess of $3.3 million, two-thirds of which have been directed to schools and education. This includes the Peter Brennan Chair of General Practice at the University of Western Sydney.