Contact: Judith Smallman, ext 5461

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for lighting to both the main car park and the upper tennis courts at Thornden Secondary School, Chandlers Ford. The upper tennis courts form overspill car parking and the lighting has been designed for this purpose only. An objection has been received from a local resident. The recommendation is to approve the application, subject to conditions.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 Thornden Secondary School, illustrated on the attached plan, is located on the edge of Chandlers Ford adjacent to junction 12 of the M3 motorway. The site is bounded to the north-west by Winchester Road, with large detached residential properties beyond; the Nuffield Hospital is situated to the north, with more recent residential development to the south. The eastern edge of the site is dense woodland, known as Pitmore Copse, beyond which lies the M3 motorway. The site is shared with Pitmore Special School. Vehicular and pedestrian access to both sites is via Winchester Road using a shared access road. The site operates a one-way system with separate entrances and exits.

2.2 The secondary school extends along the north-west boundary of the site running parallel to Winchester Road. The shared access road, car parking and play courts lie between the road and the school. There is a bank between the road and the car park/play court which are at a lower level. This bank is topped by an established belt of planting, including hedging and trees.

2.3 The school provides a wide range of community activities, including adult education classes and sessions organised by local groups. The school uses the upper tennis courts which are nearest to Winchester Road as overspill car parking for evening events. Lighting of this area is proposed and designed solely to ensure safe and secure use of these areas. The proposal also includes widening the entrance to the overspill car parking and a path, forming a new pedestrian link to the new music hall.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Eastleigh Borough Local Plan 1997 relevant policies - 25.BE (criteria for development) and 160.IN (proposals for improvement of facilities for use by the community will be permitted provided they do not adversely affect neighbours).

4. Consultations

4.1 Eastleigh Borough Council raises no objection.

4.2 The County Council (Highways) - Street Lighting raises no objection.

5. Representations

5.1 The local Member, Councillor Mrs Holden-Brown, has been informed of the application and considers that any adverse effects of the lighting proposals should be reduced to a minimum so as not to be a nuisance to adjoining residential properties.

5.2 One letter of objection has been received. There is concern about the possible intrusive effects of the lighting proposed for the second tennis court, particularly during winter evenings when the screening effect of the school boundary hedge has been lost as a result of leaf fall. It is considered that:

(i) lighting on any court should in any event be reduced to the minimum legal requirement;

(ii) all lights should be shielded to prevent light being shed in the direction of the residential properties on our side of the road;

(iii) there should be express conditions that:

(a) in the event that both courts are used, the tennis court closest to the school buildings should be fully utilised for parking before the furthest court is allowed to be brought into use (ie the furthest court to be used only as an overflow);

(b) no lighting should be permitted on a tennis court, except when that specific court is in use for essential parking.

5.3 The residents are experiencing light nuisance with floodlighting of the lower tennis courts which has only recently been installed.

6. Officer's Comments

6.1 It is unfortunate that the residents are experiencing light nuisance with the newly installed floodlights serving the lower tennis courts. However, lighting engineers are aware of the problem and will be able to reduce the impact of the lights. It is understood that it is generally the case with new floodlights that the light intensity rapidly decreases following start up, it then levels off at the required average which is followed by a very slow decline over a period of years.

6.2 The lighting proposed is designed specifically to ensure the safe and secure use of these areas and not for any sporting activity, and will not be as high or as powerful as existing floodlighting on the lower tennis courts. It is not therefore considered that it will cause a significant nuisance to adjoining residential properties. The County Council (Highways) considers the proposal to be acceptable.

6.3 The school has confirmed that, due to community usage, the car park will be in full use for most evenings during the week. Reducing the lighting scheme is likely to create dark areas which will have health and safety implications. In addition, although the nature of the car parking means that spaces are used in the first tennis court and then in the furthest tennis court, the school does not have the systems in place to effectively direct people to particular areas. It would therefore be difficult to impose the conditions as put forward by the residents. The lights could, however, be fitted with cowls to reduce any backward overspill light.

Recommendation

That planning permission for upgrading existing car parking including lighting and external works at Thornden Secondary School, Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh (Application No 11538/17) be granted, subject to the following conditions:

(1) The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of five years from the date on which this planning permission was granted.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

(2) Cowls shall be fitted on all lights serving the car park area to reduce the backward overspill of light.

Reason: To reduce the impact of the lights on residential properties.

(3) The lights shall be switched off when the car park is not in use and in any event shall be switched off at 2300 hours every day.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

7840/JS