Contact: Martin Leeds, ext 6733 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Planning permission is sought for the construction of a new single storey detached unit at the Henry Tyndale School, Ship Lane, Farnborough, to replace accommodation currently provided at Fleet. The proposed development includes an Outreach Base to be used as a Teacher Training Centre and a new vehicular entrance. There are no objections from Rushmoor Borough Council or the Highway Adviser, and the proposal accords with the current Development Local Plan. However four letters of objection and one letter expressing concern have been received from local residents.

2. Recommendation

Notwithstanding the letters of objection and concern, that planning permission be granted for the following reason and subject to conditions set out in Appendix 1.

Reason for Approval

It is considered that the proposal would be in accordance with the development plan (summary attached in Appendix 2) and would not materially harm the character of the area or the amenity of local residents and would be acceptable in terms of highway safety.

3. Site

3.1 The site (as shown on the attached plan) comprises an existing, relatively modern school within a primarily residential area. To the north, west and south is housing, whilst to the east is a railway line. Vehicular and pedestrian access is from Ship Lane on the site's western boundary.

3.2 Henry Tyndale School is a Special Needs school catering for children who have complex learning difficulties across the age range from 2 years old to 19 years. The School does not cater for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Staff at the School include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, music/speech and language therapists in addition to the teaching staff.

Proposal

3.3 The Post-16 age group for the School are currently based at "Coppers", which is a converted 3 bedroom house close to the town centre in Fleet. This property is considered to be inappropriate because it does not meet current Department for Education and Skills (DfES) standards or the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) legislation. It is therefore proposed to provide a new unit on the Henry Tyndale School site and re-locate pupils from the Fleet accommodation to the School site.

3.4 The new Post-16 unit will be a stand-alone building situated on an existing tarmac playground in the south-west corner of the School campus. This is the only available area within the School grounds because of easements for the oil and gas pipelines which cross the site. It will be single storey and have red facing brickwork on its exterior under a split height low profile roof. Part of the roof will have an overhang to act as a covered entrance area to the teaching part of the building and as a covered area for part of an external garden area. The main roof would be of similar materials to the roofs of the existing School, which are mono pitch standing seam metal roof. The concept of the split height low profile roof is to reduce the overall impact of the building on the nearby houses facing the southern boundary of the site. There is a tall dense hedge on the western boundary close to the proposed location of the new building that will be retained to help screen the development. The southern boundary of the new unit adjoins the Farnborough Conservation Area.

3.5 The proposed building would be constructed in two phases; Phase A is for the Post-16, two classroom unit, with provision to add on a third Classroom when funding becomes available. Phase B is the Post-16 "Out Reach" Teaching Base and both Phases are designed to be within the one building.

3.6 Due to the nature of the School, most pupils require vehicular transport (either parental cars or the school minibus service) for arrival/departure. Each minibus is required to pick up/drop off pupils near the main entrance doors. Consequently there is a time factor for all vehicles to filter through the School entry - pick up/drop off - exit sequence which can lead to on-street parking/waiting. It is therefore proposed to rationalise the existing arrangements by introducing a new entry point with repositioned car parking at the northern end of the school campus. The existing one way traffic system within the site will be maintained. The existing entry access into the site would be closed off permanently. It is intended to provide a further three car parking bays and one dedicated minibus space. The future "Out Reach" Teaching Base which will operate from the new building will be used by visiting teachers outside of the normal teaching day, therefore no other additional parking would be required. All other users of the new unit will be existing School staff and pupils.

4. Development Plan

4.1 Rushmoor Local Plan Review 1996-2011 (Adopted August 2000) shows the site as an existing school within the defined built-up area for Farnborough and adjoining a conservation area. The relevant Policy is ENV 17 (General Development and Design Criteria.)

4.2 Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) (Adopted 2000). The relevant Policy is UB3 (Design and compatibility).

5. Consultations

5.1 Rushmoor Borough Council has no objection subject to conditions.

5.2 The Environment Agency has assessed the application as having a low environmental risk.

5.3 The Highway Adviser has no objection subject to conditions including the closure of the existing access on completion of the new access.

5.4 The local Member, Councillor Baulk, has been informed.

6. Representations

6.1 Four letters of objection and one expressing concerns have been received from local residents. The grounds of objection/concern are:

(i) no explanation in supporting statement as to why the site in Fleet can not be refurbished /rebuilt and no case been made for moving the unit to Farnborough;

(ii) the proposed building is out of character with the surrounding buildings in the adjoining conservation area;

(iii) proposed new access will be almost opposite Woodstocks (residential cul-de-sac) and will result in conflicting traffic movements on this part of Ship Lane;

(iv) the Local Education Authority should give a priority to providing additional on-site parking and not extend the school further;

(v) the site of the school is already over-developed; location of new building will require loss of an existing hard play area;

(vi) loss of trees is not appropriate on a site adjoining a conservation area;

(vii) application drawings do not indicate where third classroom would be located - this leading to further development on the site.

7. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

7.1 The site is an existing and established School for Special Education Needs within the defined built-up area for Farnborough, where such development as a school extension is generally permitted. The proposal accords with the relevant policy in the adopted Borough Local Plan. Therefore, in principle, there should be no objection to the proposed development.

7.2 The comments about the Fleet site are noted and are not truly planning considerations. But, for the record, the existing Post-16 unit currently based in Fleet is considered to be outdated and substandard accommodation, and does not meet the Disability Discrimination Act or the Department for Education and Skills standards. An option of developing the existing accommodation in Fleet was reviewed, including potential refurbishment, but did not represent value for money. Moreover, the school considers it would be more appropriate for the Post-16 unit to be part of the School site in order to provide staff support, training and security required within a special needs school environment where all the children have challenging education needs.

7.3 The design of the new unit is considered to be compatible with the existing School and would not detract from the three listed buildings which are close to the site's southern boundary. It is noted that the Borough Council do not object to the application.

7.4 It is acknowledged the proposed new access towards the northern part of the site frontage with Ship Lane is close to Woodstocks, a residential cul-de-sac. However the new access will enable a more efficient one-way system within the School grounds to operate which should help to reduce traffic blocking local roads. In addition, there will be the permanent closure of the existing access on completion of the new access.

7.5 In terms of parking provision, Children's Services regard the provision of a building to educate pupils as more important than providing additional car parking to alleviate current on-street parking problems. The application is providing for three additional car spaces and one dedicated minibus space. It is noted the Highway Adviser has no objection relating to access, circulation and parking.

7.6 It is acknowledged the existing School building is on a relatively small site and that because of the easements associated with the oil and gas pipelines there is no flexibility of choice for the location of the new building on the site. However, the Post-6 unit at Fleet does not meet current requirements and the operational management of the School will be improved by joint location of the Pre- and Post- 16 units. Accordingly, on balance, the proposal is acceptable. Moreover, even with the development, sufficient space is left within the grounds for continued use of play areas.

7.7 It is acknowledged that some trees will have to be removed to enable the access and modified parking to be provided and to allow for the new unit to be built. The existing dense tall hedge on the western boundary of the School site's frontage with Ship Lane will be retained. This will help screen the new building.

7.8 The third classroom and Out Reach Teaching Base (Phase B and still subject to funding) will be within the overall footprint of the proposed building. The plans as submitted include the extra classroom.

8. Conclusion

8.1 The proposed development accords with Development Plan and there are no objections from Rushmoor Borough Council, and the Highway Adviser. Moreover, the objections by local residents are appropriately addressed. Therefore it is recommended to grant planning permission.

1243/ML

APPENDIX 1

Conditions

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

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

(2) Samples of the external facing bricks to be used on the proposed building shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing before the development commences.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and to secure a satisfactory development.

(3) Those trees to be retained on the site, and the tall dense hedging on the site frontage south of the School's southerly vehicular access, shall be protected during building operations by the erection of sturdy protective fencing. This fencing shall be kept in place for the duration of the construction works. The tall dense hedging shall not be breached.

Reason: To ensure the enhancement of the development by the retention of natural features.

(4) The existing tall dense hedge on the western boundary of the site which is in front of the proposed Post-16 unit development, and immediately south of the School's southerly vehicular access, where it is coincident with the existing visibility splay of this access, shall have the first 2.5 metres to 3 metres length reduced in height to 1.2 metres above ground level. This part of the hedge shall be maintained at this height to allow for forward visibilty of vehicles egressing the site.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

(5) Occupation of the building shall not commence until provision for the parking, turning, loading and unloading of vehicles has been made within the curtilage. The areas of land so provided shall not be used for any purpose other than the parking, turning, loading and unloading of vehicles.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

(6) Measures shall be taken to prevent mud and spoil from vehicles leaving the site during the construction works being deposited on the public highway. No vehicle shall leave the site unless its wheels have been cleaned sufficiently to prevent mud being carried on to the public highway. In the event that any mud or spoil is deposited on the highway, it shall be cleaned off on each day of working.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

(7) Before the new Post-16 unit building is brought into use, the proposed replacement vehicular access at the northern end of the school boundary with Ship Lane shall have been properly constructed and made available for use. Immediately after completion of this new access the existing access, located centrally to this frontage boundary, shall be stopped up and abandoned with the footway /verge crossing fully reinstated.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

(8) The new vehicular access shall be used for the purposes of `Entry` only and appropriate signage shall have been installed before this access becomes operational. The egress shall be appropriately signed for the purposes of `Exit`.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

(9) There shall be no access to the development site by any traffic associated with the construction (ie. no delivery vehicles, no contractors' cars, nor plant and machinery) in the morning between 0830 and 0930 and in the afternoon between 1430 and 1530 on normal school days.

Reason: In the interests of public safety and to avoid traffic conflict at the times of the day when pupils are arriving at and departing from school.

(10) No work relating to the construction of the development approved, including works of preparation prior to operations, the delivery of construction materials, skips or machinery, nor the removal of waste materials, shall take place before 0800 hours or after 1800 hours Monday to Friday inclusive, before 0800 hours or after 1600 hours on Saturday and not at all on Sunday or recognised public holidays, unless otherwise agreed beforehand in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To protect the amenities of occupiers of nearby properties.

APPENDIX 2

Annexe to Reason for Conditions

(as required by Article 22 of the Town and Country Planning

(General Procedure) Order 1995 - as amended)

__________________________________________________________________

Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review) (adopted 2000)

Policy UB3 (Design and Compatibility)

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

Rushmoor Local Plan Review 1996-2011 (Adopted August 2000)

Policy ENV17 (General Development & Design Criteria)

Development on smaller sites and change of use, which is in accordance with other policies of this local plan, will be permitted provided that:

(i) the development does not result in any demonstrable harm to amenity;

(ii) the scale, layout, materials and design are consistent with the character and appearance of the area and the relationship with adjoining development;

(iii) adequate consideration has been given to the design of spaces around and between buildings with use of hard and soft landscaping; and

(iv) existing landscape features are used to advantage and, where appropriate, new landscaping is included.