Archived decisions

Contact: Karin Taylor, ext. 5938

1. Summary

1.1 This application concerns the provision of an all-weather sports pitch on part of the existing school playing field at Amery Hill School, Alton. The site has existing residential development on the north and south sides. The proposals do not include floodlighting.

2. Site

2.1 Amery Hill School is located to the north of Alton town centre and is accessed from Church Street via Amery Hill. It is a comprehensive school with 1000 pupils from both the town and the rural area to the south and west.

2.2 The eastern end of the school site is bounded by the Old Odiham Road, and there is residential development on the northern, western and southern boundaries on Greenfields Avenue, Netherfield Close and Steeple Drive/The Cloisters. The south western part of the site adjoins a grassed area running down to the River Wey.

3. Proposal

3.1 The proposal is to construct an all-weather pitch (AWP) on the existing playing field immediately to the west of the school buildings. The remaining school playing fields would be unaltered, allowing their continued use as a running track and cricket wicket during the summer and a football and rugby pitch in the winter. An area to the east, off Old Odiham Road, contains the existing hockey pitch.

3.2 The proposed all-weather pitch would run north to south and would be dug into the existing ground level by approximately 1.5m at the northern end. The edge of the pitch would be approximately 16m from the boundary and there is a well established tree and shrub screen although this is proposed to be strengthened by additional planting. At the southern end the pitch would be at existing ground level, with the edge being between 17 and 19m from the boundary. As there is an adjoining residential development built very close to the boundary ("The Cloisters") a willow faced accoustic barrier is proposed in addition to a belt of trees and shrubs.

3.3 A 2.7m high wildmesh fence is proposed surrounding the site, rising to 3.9m behind and for 3m on each side of the goals. A number of trees would be planted around the edge of the pitch.

3.4 The proposal as originally submitted included eight 15m high floodlight columns but an amendment to the planning application subsequently withdrew this element of the proposed development.

3.5 The proposals for the all-weather pitch do not include car parking, but parking provision is covered in a separate application (reference F22879/010) relating to various single and two storey extensions to the existing school buildings. These proposed extensions will remove some parking, but compensatory provision of 32 new parking spaces is proposed to the north of the site with access from Old Odiham Road. The existing school car park would be reconfigured and would provide 45 spaces.

4. Development Plan

4.1 Hampshire County Structure Plan Review, 1996-2011, policies R1 (Recreation, Sport and Tourism) and UB3 (Design, Scale and Layout) are relevant.

4.2 East Hampshire District Local Plan: First Review, policies GS1 (General Strategy), GS5 (Development Criteria), RT1 (Recreation and Tourism - General Principles), RT5 (Recreation, Leisure and Cultural Facilities), T6 (Parking Standards) are relevant.

5. Consultations

5.1 East Hampshire District Council - (reporting to Committee on August 21; details to follow)

5.2 Alton Town Council recognises the pressing need for a facility of this nature in Alton but objects on the basis that the proposed facility is too close to the boundaries of adjoining properties to the severe detriment of the amenities of those properties. The Town Council also objected to the (now withdrawn) floodlighting but commented that it may have been inclined to raise no objection to the proposed development if floodlights had not formed part of the application. The Town Council also felt that alternative sites, both within the existing school grounds and elsewhere, should be considered.

5.3 Sport England were consulted as the proposal affects existing playing fields, but raises no objection to the proposal.

5.4 The Highways Adviser does not object in principle to the proposals subject to the implementation of a green travel plan which would demonstrate how travel will be monitored and minimised so that the on-site parking is adequate.

5.5 The local County Councillor, Councillor Ludlow, and the Chairman of the Regulatory Committee, Councillor West, have been consulted but have not submitted formal comments.

6. Representations

6.1 At the time of preparing this report a total of 238 letters of objection had been received. These comprise 173 standard reproduced letters from 114 households, 63 individual letters from 52 households and two identical letters from adjacent households. In addition two further letters have been received from the Local Residents Action Group and a letter has been received from the Alton Society. The letters raise the following concerns:

(i) noise pollution from shouting players, trainers etc, impact noise from hockey balls hitting base boards, footballs hitting fencing, referee's whistle;

(ii) light pollution from floodlights (now withdrawn from the application);

(iii) extension of use of pitch into unsocial hours will reduce quality of life for residents;

(iv) damage to Alton landscape from floodlight columns (now withdrawn from the application);

(v) degradation of the area by the introduction of a commercial enterprise which is not in keeping with its surroundings;

(vi) the site is totally unsuitable for an AWP of this size (6,000sqm);

(vii) the distress caused by the construction and subsequent use of the facility would outweigh its benefits to the school;

(viii) an alternative site should be sought - there are better locations such as Alton Sports Centre;

(ix) the site is too close to surrounding houses;

(x) the area is quiet and popular with older residents;

(xi) car parking provision is inadequate - the existing facilities have been used to capacity by adult education classes in the evening - parking congestion will occur in Old Odiham Road and adjacent residential roads and exacerbate existing problems;

(xii) detrimental impact on the adjacent Conservation Area;

(xiii) the development will cause drainage problems - there can be flooding in the area in periods of heavy rain - this has not been addressed;

(xiv) balls will find their way into adjacent gardens causing damage;

(xv) increased vandalism and security threat as a result of increased activity in and around the facility - additional problems of litter, foul language and drunkenness;

(xvi) proposal is contrary to policies of the Local Plan, particularly Policy GS5;

(xvii) neighbours will be unable to enjoy their gardens because of noise in breach of human rights;

(xviii) loss of green, natural space and impact on wildlife;

(xix) restricted access for emergency vehicles;

(xx) proposals for car parking and changing facilities should be part of this application, not a separate submission;

(xxi) inaccuracies in the submitted plans and information relating to site area and distance from houses in The Cloisters; and

(xxii) the effect on property values.

6.2 Further consultation was undertaken on the revised proposals following the deletion of the floodlighting element (to be updated).

7. Issues

7.1 The proposal has generated considerable objection due to the proximity of adjoining residential development. The main issues can be summarised as follows:

(i) principle of the development;

(ii) landscape impact;

(iii) impact on residential amenity;

(iv) traffic and parking; and

(v) drainage

(i) Principle of the Development

7.2 Amery Hill School currently has below the minimum requirement for playing field provision as set out in DFEE building bulletin 82. The requirement for a school of 1000 pupils is 40,500 square metres whereas the current provision at Amery Hill is 35,040 square metres. The creation of a surface which can be used more intensely, for both hockey and football, in conjunction with the school's own internal sports facilities, allows the statutory minimum to be reduced below the area available, providing the school with the on-site facilities it needs to teach sports adequately. Both East Hampshire District Council and Alton Town Council have identified the need for an all-weather pitch in the town.

7.3 The school intends to have priority use of the facility during school hours; however, out-of-hours community use will be available during the week and at weekends, although this will be limited, particularly during the winter months, due to the lack of floodlighting.

(ii) Landscape Impact

7.4 The proposed all-weather pitch has been sited adjacent to the existing school buildings, sports hall and car park The proposed fencing will have an impact on what at present is a pleasant, uninterrupted vista from adjoining residential properties across the school playing field. However the site is well-screened from most directions and additional planting is proposed to reduce the impact.

(iii) Impact on Residential Amenity

7.5 The site is already in use as playing fields and, although the provision of an all-weather pitch will lead to more intense use of this part of the field, this will be limited by the lack of floodlighting. Of the nearby dwellings, six properties in Greenfields Avenue would back directly onto the pitch, although they have rear gardens some 30 metres in length. At the southern end, the residential development of The Cloisters would be more directly affected, with three of the houses backing onto the pitch. These dwellings have small back gardens, and there are four first floor windows (three of them obscured) overlooking the site. The fence on the southern side of the proposed pitch is approximately 17 metres from the southern boundary of the site and 21 metres from the closest house (No 8 The Cloisters). The proposed accoustic barrier and additional planting will help reduce noise impact and visual intrusion.

(iv) Traffic and Parking

7.6 During school hours the use of the proposed all-weather pitch will not affect traffic or parking levels. Additional traffic may be generated out of school hours but this will be outside the normal peak times. Likewise, parking spaces vacated by staff from Amery Hill School and St Lawrence Primary School (which has no parking facilities of its own), will be available. Proposals in the separate planning application (F22879/010) to reconfigure the existing car park and provide an additional car parking area will increase parking provision on the school site.

(v) Drainage

7.7 The Environment Agency were not consulted as the proposal does not affect land liable to flood. However poor drainage has been raised as an issue by some objectors who have been informed by the Environment Agency that, should permission be granted, they would require a condition requiring that drainage is dealt with in a sustainable manner and that the development does not increase flood risk elsewhere by increasing runoff.

7.8 The proposed all-weather pitch would have an extensive underground drainage system which would not allow water to run off the pitch onto adjoining properties.

8147/KT

APPENDIX

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY STRUCTURE PLAN 1996-2011 (REVIEW) (ADOPTED MARCH 2000)

Policy R1

In built-up areas, development which improves or extends the range of tourist, recreational, sporting or social facilities will be permitted subject to the requirements of the transport and environment policies of the Plan. Permission will not be granted for any development which would result in the loss of either recreational and sporting facilities or open space for which there is a need, unless alternative provision is made of at least equivalent value (in terms of quality, quantity and accessibility).

Policy UB3

All development permitted in accordance with other policies of this Plan should be appropriate in design, scale, layout and density to its surroundings, and contribute to the quality of the built environment.