Agenda item

Full planning application for construction of new SEND school, with associated access, car-parking, landscaping, MUGA and outdoor playground space

Site Of Former Princess Louise Adult Learning Centre, Princess Louise Road, Blyth, Northumberland

Full planning application for construction of new SEND school, with associated access, car-parking, landscaping, MUGA and outdoor playground space

Site of Former Princess Louise Adult Learning Centre, Princess Louise Road, Blyth, Northumberland

D Love, Senior Planning Officer provided an introduction to the application with the aid of a power point presentation.  As a result of additional information provided by the application after the report had been published, an updated list of conditions had been circulated to Members of the Committee and uploaded to the Council’s website in advance of the meeting.  The additional conditions would also be filed with the signed minutes of the meeting.

J Patterson, Associate Director of DPP addressed the Committee on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.  Her comments included the following:-

·       The Development complied with planning policy at a national and local level and would deliver 80 school places for pupils aged 11-16 with Autism and/or Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.  The need for these school places for pupils with special educational needs had been established and the development was strongly supported by Northumberland County Council’s education team.

·       The site was split into two land parcels; the site containing the school was located on the southern side of Princess Louise Road which was previously occupied by Blyth Princess Louise First School prior to its demolition, and historic foundations, hard standing and services remained on the site. 

·       The site would have a Multi-use Games Area (MUGA) and an outdoor learning and play space alongside integrated soft landscaping.  The delivery of sports and recreation facilities in association with the school accords with adopted policies as the existing open space would be replaced by an area of better quality open space.  The MUGA would also be available for community use.

·       The new school building would be located back from the Princess Louise Road frontage enabling a dedicated drop-off/pick-up area to the front of the school to accommodate mini buses, taxis and cars for the operational safeguarding of a SEND school.  The development would also include secure cycle parking facilities for staff and pupils.

·       The car park was to be located on the north side of Princess Louise Road and would result in 40 spaces on the parcel of land next to existing car parking for Blyth Sport Centre and would be for the exclusive use by the school.

·       The principle of educational uses on the site had been established by the former educational use and was in accordance with adopted development plan policies.

·       The proposed school was policy compliant and would contribute significantly to the Council’s established need for SEND pupil places in the County.

In response to questions from Members of the Committee the following information was noted:-

·       The design process which informed the way in which the access and exit was to be provided was not known.  The proposals had been assessed by Highways Development who were satisfied in relation to road safety, and condition 17 to be attached to any permission granted required a full school travel plan to be submitted and agreed by the Local Planning Authority.

·       The noise mitigation measures for the MUGA were not to hand but it was understood that these included fencing to absorb noise and had been considered appropriate by Public Protection.  The use of the MUGA would also be limited to daylight hours as no lighting was proposed.  The noise of a ball  hitting a fence and causing a nuisance to nearby residents would be borne in mind when discharging the condition for additional evidence.

·       Officers were not aware of any formal control of use of the staff car park but condition 15 required that details be provided and would allow further assessment if there were concerns that it would be used as an overspill for Blyth Sports Centre.

·       In relation to a vertical assessment of the evacuation of the building, it was clarified that the applicant had submitted their vertical evacuation process which stated that “the building was designed with appropriate refuges in staircases to allow for managed and assisted evacuation. All refuge areas would feature an intercom link and the school would develop a personal emergency evacuation plan for any student or member of staff with mobility and/or cognitive impairments and the procedure should be practiced during the fire drill.”  It was requested by a Member that the applicant look at this again, as it was felt this was an inhumane and outdated way of evacuating and one emergency lift should be provided for every 10 people.

·       It was confirmed that net gain biodiversity would be provided on the site with the provision of bat boxes and mature vegetation.

·       The use of the MUGA was not conditioned through this planning application as the community use would be run by the Council’s Education Department and would be set up by them in conjunction with Active Northumberland.

·       Full details of the cycle storage would be provided and assessed by Highways as part of a condition.

Councillor Watson proposed acceptance of the recommendation to approve the application as outlined in the report with the updated conditions which was seconded by Councillor Reid.

Members expressed their support for the application and welcomed the opportunity to provide additional SEND places which was much needed in the County.  They did however express some concerns regarding the arrangements for staff parking on the north site and access/egress to the south site.  A vote was taken on the proposal and it was unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED for the reasons outlined in the report and with the updated conditions as circulated.