Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Planning permission is required to construct an extension to the existing D@rt performing art building by adding a 308 seat theatre with supporting accommodation (comprising a bar/box office, performers dressing rooms, toilets, scene dock, plant room and various stores), at Wildern School, Wildern Lane, Hedge End. (Application No. S/09/65293)

1.2. Issues: Existing and proposed development, compliance with the current adopted Local Plan policies, and consultees views.

1.3. Reason for decision: It is considered the proposal would be in accordance with the development plan (summary attached in Appendix C) and would not materially harm the immediate area and is acceptable in terms of highway safety. Taking into account all the considerations, there is on balance, no substantive reason to withhold planning permission.

2. Site and proposal

2.1. The existing Wildern School campus as shown on the attached plan is within a primarily residential area. The school buildings which are a mixture of single and two storey, account for approximately half of the site with playing pitches and general playing field taking up the other half. There is a large car parking area to the south of the main buildings with overflow parking on some nearby tennis courts. The Shamblehurst Primary School borders the north west boundary of the Wildern School campus. Access to serve both schools is from Wildern Lane to the west. There is a small coppice area to the rear of the Primary School playground adjacent to the D@rt building but it is not intended to remove those trees, only minor surgery will be necessary.

2.2. The proposed extension (internal floorspace of 1200 square metres) for the new theatre is to the rear of the existing D@art building and across the end of the old access road and the corner of the Shamblehurst Primary School site that previously contained temporary classrooms. (The temporary classrooms have a current planning permission to relocate them elsewhere.) The D@rt building already has a large foyer with box office and servery, serving the audiences to the existing dance and drama performance spaces. It was considered that by attaching the proposed theatre to the D@rt, the new building could benefit from the existing facilities in the building.

2.3. The new theatre building has been designed so that when on occasion the existing D@rt building is closed, the theatre can still be used. Whilst the theatre connects to the D@rt via the existing accommodation, the theatre has its own entrance, foyer and vertical circulation. The theatre building with its level entrance has been designed to allow access for persons in wheelchairs.

2.4. The external appearance of the theatre building needs to sit comfortably with the Shamblehurst Primary School playground but also give a focal point for members of the public arriving from the car park. It was therefore decided to use a combination of timber veneer cladding, render, blue engineering bricks thereby giving the building to have a separate identity whilst still relating to the other school buildings in its immediate vicinity. Due to the performance requirements of the auditorium it will need to be artificially lit and mechanically ventilated. This will be mitigated by a very efficient all air system using air source heat pumps for heating and cooling. Heat exchangers are to be installed to take the heat from exhaust air and use it to pre-heat the incoming fresh air. Solar thermal panels will be included on the roof to pre-heat the water going into the D@rt boilers. The building has been designed to deliver low energy consumption, low maintenance, high reliability.

2.5. It is proposed to operate the theatre from 0800 hours to 2230 hours which are complementary with the extended community usage of the remainder of the campus. Contractors' vehicles including deliveries, will avoid the peak pick-up and drop-off times for both the Shamblehurst Primary School and the Wildern School.

2.6. In designing the extension it has been recognised that parking had to be properly addressed. Accordingly, parking surveys were carried out on particularly busy community nights resulting in peak parking of 100 cars. There is total parking capacity, including overspill on the tennis courts, of 200 spaces. Using Hampshire parking standards of one space per five fixed seat, 62 spaces would be required for a full capacity night at the theatre, leaving a surplus of 38 spaces on the site even on a night when other community uses are taking place. A parking survey was also carried out at Thornden School during a performance at the concert hall. Unfortunately on the night chosen there were 140 performers, artists and staff in addition to the audition which lead to a misleadingly high car park usage. Large coincidental car park uses are in reality unlikely to happen for the following reasons:

(i) the existing Community Management Committee which has representatives from Eastleigh Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and Wildern School will be heavily involved with the programming and will act as a check to ensure that large coincidental events are not programmed;

(ii) the community nights are principally Monday to Thursday and large capacity nights at the theatre are likely to be Fridays and Saturdays so there will be limited coincidental uses with the theatre at full capacity;

(iii) it is estimated that the theatre will only be full to capacity 3-4 times a month;

(iv) the theatre will be used by the school during the day thus not generating additional parking demands;

(v) it is understood that parents evenings have been responsible for past instances of overflow parking into neighbouring streets due to the size of each year group, the programming of the theatre will avoid parents evenings.

3. Development plan

3.1. Eastleigh Borough Local Plan Review (2001-2011) (Adopted May 2006) shows the site as existing development, (has the shape of, but not annotated, as a school) within the defined Urban Edge for Hedge End. The proposed development accords with Policies 34.ES (Energy and Climate Change), 59.BE (Promoting Good Design), 104.T (Parking), 186.IN (Community Facilities)

4. Consultations

4.1. Eastleigh Borough Council has no objection subject to conditions.

4.2. Environment Agency have assessed the application as having a low environmental risk.

4.3. Environmental Health Services "have reviewed the information supplied and have no comments to raise."

4.4. Highway Authority has no objection in principle subject to conditions and that the current School Travel Plan is updated to manage the parking that will be associated with this development, in particular, avoiding significant performance events being held on the same night as other community events. It is noted that parking provision is above the parking standard

4.5. Hedge End Town Council has been consulted but no response to the consultation has been received.

4.6. The local Member, Councillor Kyrle is "fully in favour of the proposals as I believe they will provide a very valuable asset for both the community and school to use. The theatre will also address the under provision of this kind of facility in the southern parishes area of Eastleigh."

5. Representations

5.1. One letter received from two local residents expressing concerns at the traffic impact of the new development, particularly with parking as overspill into nearby residential roads. Question arises as to where and what additional parking is going to be provided for attendance of vehicles at day and evening events?

6. Commentary

6.1. The school is an established community facility within an urban area as defined in the current adopted Local Plan. Therefore, in principle there should be no objection to the proposed extension. There are no objections from the Borough Council or the Highway Authority. The latter notes the parking provision is in excess of standards.

6.2. The concerns of the residents about parking are noted so it is welcome that there is an intention to make sure the programming of the theatre will avoid the parents evenings. It is also supported that parking will be managed so that there is sufficient capacity within the campus. Accordingly the advice of the Highway Authority and the Borough Council to amend the existing School Travel Plan to include measures to accommodate all the car parking needs of the campus, including on occasions when the theatre is to be open at the same time as other community facilities is also supported and a planning condition is recommended to this effect.

6.3. On balance, there is no substantive reason for withholding planning consent.

7. Recommendation

7.1. That planning permission in respect of construction to extend the existing D@rt performing art building by adding a 308 seat theatre with supporting accommodation at Wildern School, Wildern Lane, Hedge End (Application No. S/09/65293) be granted subject to the conditions in Appendix B.

Links to the Corporate Strategy

CONDITIONS

Time Limits:

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.

Hours of Working:

2. 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 0800 hours and 0900 hours and in the afternoons between 1500 hours and 1530 hours 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.

3. 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 Saturday inclusive, 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.

Highways

4. Prior to commencement of development, a Construction Traffic Management Plan shall be submitted in writing to, and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The agreed Plan shall be maintained for the duration of the construction works.

Reason: In the interest of highway safety.

5. Measures shall be taken to prevent mud and spoil from vehicles leaving the site during the construction works being deposited on the public highway. These measures shall be implemented before the development commences and thereafter maintained for the duration of the works. No vehicle shall leave the site unless its wheels have been cleaned sufficiently to prevent mud and spoil being carried on to the public highway. In the event that any mud and spoil is deposited on the highway, it shall be cleaned-off on each day of working.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

Materials

6. Before the development is commenced details and a sample colour of the proposed external render and timber veneer shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing.

Reason: To secure a satisfactory development.

Protection of Retained Trees

7. The trees to be retained shall be protected before construction works are commenced, then during the construction period, by the erection of sturdy protective fencing such as "Heras" type or similar.

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

School Travel plan

8. Prior to the implementation of the development, the existing School Travel Plan shall be amended in writing and submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval to include measures to accommodate all the car parking needs of the theatre, including on occasions when the theatre is to be open at the same time as other significant performance community events on site.

Reason: In the interest of residential amenity.

Annexe to Reason for Conditions

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

(General Procedure) Order 1995 - as amended)

EASTLEIGH BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN REVIEW (2001-2011) (Adopted May 2006)

Policy 34.ES (Energy and Climate Change)

Planning permission will only be granted for proposals which make an appropriate contribution towards the Government's target to reduce levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by:

(i) ensuring the use of the most sustainable construction materials and construction methods;

(ii) minimising the energy demands associated with the occupation of the development by using energy efficient equipment and incorporating high levels of insulation; and

(iii) maximising the proportion of energy that is generated from renewable sources.

Policy 59.BE (Promoting Good Design)

Development proposals which are in accordance with the other policies in this plan will be permitted provided they meet the following criteria (inter-alia):

(i) they take full and proper account of the context of the site including the character and appearance of the locality or neighbourhood and are appropriate in mass, scale, materials, layout, density, design and siting, both in themselves and in relation to adjoining buildings, spaces, and views, natural features and trees worthy of retention;

(ii) they make the most efficient use of the land and provide a high standard of landscape design and appropriate planting where required using native plants in landscape schemes to benefit biodiversity;

(iii) they have a satisfactory means of access and layout for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians including links to surrounding footpaths, cycleways and public transport services; and

(iv) they are an appropriate use for the locality and avoid unduly interfering, disturbing or conflicting with adjoining or neighbouring uses, especially in terms of noise, fumes, dust, overlooking, loss of daylight, loss of outlook, vibration, or from floodlighting or security lighting.

Policy 104.T (Parking)

Planning permission will only be granted for appropriate development which provides adequate off-highway parking up to the maximum standard set out in respect of the accessibility of that development.

Policy 186.IN (Community Facilities)

Proposals for the provision, replacement, extension or improvement of facilities for use by the community will be permitted within the urban edge provided they will not adversely affect the residential amenity of the occupiers of neighbouring properties by reason of, noise, disturbance, smells, floodlighting or other factors.