Agenda item

The Development Management Officer (DMO), Be First Development Management Team, introduced a report and presentation on an application from the Department of Education for the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a part single store, part two storey special education needs (SEND) school, together with associated access, parking and landscape works.

In addition to internal and external consultations and site and press notices, a total of 134 notification letters were sent to neighbouring properties, in respect of which one representation was received, the material considerations of which were addressed comprehensively in the planning assessment set out in the report.

In response to the officer presentation Members asked whether it was considered that there was sufficient outdoor facilities/green space for pupils on the site?

Andy Carr, Head of Service representing the Council’s Education service responded that most of the children who would attend the school would not use the outdoor space per say, given their challenging and complex needs.

The DMO summarised that in accordance with the draft Local Plan the site had been designated a Local Significant Industrial Location (LSIS) with allocation for educational use with the release of the land undertaken in a plan-led manner. In addition, the evidence presented had demonstrated a need for a new SEND school in the Borough.

The proposal would generate employment of up to 129 staff. Whilst the development was not an industrial use it would contribute to enhancing and providing new employment opportunities within the borough whilst addressing an important identified local need.

The development would have an acceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area, neighbouring amenity, the highway, providing a state-of-the-art new facility. The proposal had been designed to minimise the risk of crime and ensure noise sensitive receptors were positioned away from the surrounding industrial sites and the highway.

The proposed design and layout of the building was regarded as compatible in this location and care had been taken to ensure noise impacts from existing  activities were mitigated. A significant uplift in the number of trees, planting and greening of the site would enhance its visual appearance, act as a buffer and screening between neighbouring sites, as well as encourage biodiversity enhancements.

The development whilst designed to encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport; would make sufficient provision for car parking, cycle parking and school pick up and drop off. Measures would be put in place to ensure that access and egress into and out of the site was safe, and a road safety contribution had been sought to go towards reducing the speed on Wantz Road to improve the safety of the highway immediately outside, and ensure safe pedestrian, driving and cycling to and from the site.

The development was also highly sustainable, offering substantial carbon reductions, air quality neutral development and enhancements to the natural environment on site. All existing land contamination would be cleaned up with the site prepared appropriately for this use. An adequate sustainable drainage strategy had been proposed to ensure the risk of flooding was mitigated. 

In conclusion officers believed the benefits of the scheme significantly and demonstrably outweigh any loss of local significant industrial land and attributed significant weight to the site allocation in the Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan, which was at an advance stage.  Therefore, subject to the imposition of conditions and obligations officers considered the proposal to be acceptable and in keeping with the development policies and the Development Plan.

In recognising that there was a desperate need for the provision of a new SEND in the Borough,

The Committee RESOLVED to: 

(i)  Agree the reasons for approval as set out in the report,

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Director of Inclusive Growth (or authorised Officer) in consultation with the Head of Legal Services to grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a legal agreement under s106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) based on the Heads of Terms identified at Appendix 6 and the Conditions listed in Appendix 5 of the report, as well as confirmation of approval at GLA Stage 2 and,

(iii)  That, if by 17 January 2024 the legal agreement has not been completed,  the Director of Inclusive Growth (or authorised Officer) be delegated authority to refuse planning permission or extend this timeframe to grant approval.