Archived decisions

Contact: Martin Leeds, ext 6733

1. Summary

1.1 The County Council seeks planning consent for a further limited period for the continued siting of a temporary classroom unit at Saxon Wood School, Rooksdown, Barron Place, Basingstoke. Objections have been received from local residents and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. However, the recommendation is to approve the application, for a further temporary period.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 Saxon Wood School, built in 1976, is a school for children with physical disabilities and is located on the north west outskirts of Basingstoke, as shown on the attached location plan. The existing single temporary classroom unit (placed on site in 1996) is located at the north-west end of the main school buildings and is partially screened by trees. The A339 Kingsclere Road separates the school site from nearby farmland. Access to the school is from Barron Place, a residential cul-de-sac, to the north east of the site.

2.2 Due to numbers on roll there is a need to retain the temporary classroom.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Local Plan 1991-2000 (adopted September 1998), shows the site as an existing school within the defined built-up area of Basingstoke.

3.2 Policy E6 of the adopted Local Plan states that where they are wholly within existing school premises and are in accordance with other policies of the Local Plan, the Borough Council will give favourable consideration to development proposals by the Education Authority to provide an appropriate level of education facilities.

4. Consultations

4.1 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council objects to the proposal as follows:

(i) the proposed building due to its temporary nature, materials and design is out of keeping with the area, contrary to policy UB3 of the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2001 (Review) and policies GS1, CD100, CD101, CD103 of the Basingstoke and Deane borough Local Plan;

(ii) the proposal would create an undesirable precedent which would make it difficult to refuse similar applications; and

(iii) the Local Planning Authority is opposed to proposals of this nature, the cumulative effect of which, if permitted, would be detrimental to the visual character of the area.

4.2 Sherborne St John Parish Council has not responded to the consultation.

5. Representations

5.1 The local County Councillor has been advised of this application.

5.2 Three letters and an 18 signature petition of objection have been received from local residents. The grounds of objection are:-

(i) the existing temporary classroom unit has taken up car parking spaces, leading to problems of cars and buses blocking the school entrance and adjoining footpaths/roads to houses;

(ii) cars/buses delivering pupils to the school have increased the traffic flow on Barron Place above its original design;

(iii) traffic congestion has been compounded with the change to the main entrance from Kingsclere Road to Barron Place;

(iv) traffic congestion on Barron Place would reduce accessibility for emergency vehicles reaching the school/houses; and

(v) additional parking on Barron Place causing danger to pedestrians.

5.3 In addition to the objection comments, one of the letters considers whether, if the original access from Rookwood Lane into the school were to be re-opened, this would reduce traffic numbers / congestion using Barron Place, Gander Drive and Gillies Drive. It has also been suggested that the temporary classroom unit should be re-located to another site within the school grounds.

6. Chief Planning Advisor's Comments

6.1 The objections by the Borough Council and local residents are noted. Policies referred to by the Borough Council; GS1, CD100, CD101, CD103, from the Local Plan, and UB3 of the Structure Plan, relate to general development control criteria, building design and, suitability of development.

6.2 It is unreasonable to expect temporary classroom buildings to meet all the criteria for design included in local plans. Such buildings are not intended to be long-term developments, but provide a stop gap until the issue of permanent teaching accommodation is resolved.

6.3 The comments by local residents on the subject of parking problems on local estate roads are noted. When the temporary classroom unit was first put on site, it was acknowledged that the unit would have to be placed on some existing car parking spaces because of lack of an alternative site on the school campus. Accordingly, ten new car spaces were established in compensation. The school deals with children with physical disabilities, so there is a higher ratio of staff to pupils than would be the case for those without disabilities. The effect is that the staff, including specialists, may generate more traffic which has overspilled onto nearby residential roads.

6.4 It has been suggested that re-opening the previous access to the site from Rooksdown Lane to the north west of the school would help overcome the traffic problems currently being experienced on Barron Place and other nearby residential roads. Rooksdown Lane, however, joins the busy A339 Kingsclere Road. The particular access from Rooksdown Lane into the school was closed due to danger of slow moving vehicles crossing/turning at this junction. The County Council's Highway Adviser considers this would still be the case if the access from the school onto Rookwood Lane were to be opened, although there is no objection to it being used by emergency vehicles, should access to the school be necessary.

6.5 Although the objections have been noted with particular regard to the issues of traffic, the contracted transport used for the children may be one of the related problems. This is an issue for the Education Department to deal with, by possibly making the contractors, and to some degree, visitors/parents, more aware of local concerns.

6.6 The temporary classroom unit has been on site in this particular location since 1996, and it has been continually used for educational purposes. Therefore, in principle, the educational use of the building is well established, in addition to which, the school has a continuing need to use the building for teaching purposes. On that basis a further temporary planning consent is recommended.

Recommendation

1. That planning permission for the continued siting of one single temporary classroom No. 9255 at Saxon Wood School, Rooksdown, Barron Place, Basingstoke (Application No. BDB 54702) be granted, subject to the following condition:

(i) The temporary classroom unit shall be sited for a limited period expiring on 31 August 2006 or when the educational use ceases, whichever is the sooner. At the end of this period the building shall be removed and the land reinstated to its former condition as soon as possible.

Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and that the building is not considered suitable for permanent retention..

8000/ML