Development Control Committee
Meeting to be held on 17th April 2013
Electoral Division affected:
Chorley North
Chorley Borough: Application 09/13/0181
Erection of two extensions to existing school building at Buckshaw Trinity
C of E Methodist Primary, Unity Place, Chorley
Contact for further information:
Patrick McKeown, 01772 534177, Environment Directorate
DevCon@lancashire.gov.uk
Executive Summary
Application - Erection of two extensions to existing school building at Buckshaw
Trinity C of E Methodist Primary, Unity Place, Chorley.
Recommendation – Summary
That planning permission be granted subject to conditions controlling
commencement and working programme.
Applicant’s Proposal
Planning permission is sought for extensions to the east and west wings of the
existing primary school. The original two storey primary school building was
conceived as a one-form entry to accommodate 210 pupils. However, it was
purposely designed to allow for extensions to be constructed at a later date. The
proposed extensions would allow the school to accommodate a two-form entry
capable of accommodating 420 pupils.
The proposed extension to the east wing of the building would be single storey
covering an area of approximately 87m². It would incorporate a mono-pitched
aluminium curved standing seam roof, sloping from a height of 3m at the eaves to
approximately 4.8m to tie in with the adjoining building. The elevations would be
finished in buff facing brick incorporating areas of white render, pre-patinated copper
cladding and a section of aluminium curtain walling.
The proposed extension to the west wing of the building would be two storey and
would cover an area of approximately 330m². The extension would incorporate a
curving mono-pitched aluminium standing seam roof, sloping from a height of 7.5m
at the eaves to approximately 9.2m. The elevations would be finished in buff facing
brick incorporating areas of white render, dark grey cladding panels, pre-patinated
copper cladding, brise soleil aluminium louvre blades and sections of aluminium
curtain walling.
All materials to be used in the extensions would match materials used in the existing
school building.
Description and Location of Site
The school site was originally retained specifically for the construction of a primary
school in the Chorley Borough Council masterplan for the Buckshaw Village
redevelopment, and forms part of the 'community core' of the Village. The school
site is broadly rectangular in plan and has prominent frontages to both Buckshaw
Avenue to the south and Village Way to the east. A Community Centre and Health
Centre are located to the north on the opposite side of Unity Way with residential
properties located to the west in Sharrock Street. Additional residential properties are
located to the east in Aycliffe Drive. The site is generally flat, with swales boarding
the east and south, with a footpath running north-south on the western boundary.
Background
The existing primary school was designed specifically to allow for future extension to
accommodate a two-form entry. The school has infrastructure in place to
accommodate the proposed number of additional staff and pupils.
Planning History
Outline permission for mixed use development was granted by Chorley Borough
Council in 1999 (ref 97/00509/OUT).
Planning permission for a modification of conditions for mixed use development was
granted by Chorley Borough Council in 2002 (ref 02/00748/OUT).
Planning permission was granted in May 2009 for the erection of a primary school
with associated playing fields, 2.4m high boundary fence and car park was granted
by Chorley Borough Council in May 2009 subject to a legal agreement safeguarding
land for future extensions to the school. (09/00180/FULMAJ).
Planning Policy
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
Paragraphs 11 – 14, 56 – 64, and 72 are relevant in terms of the presumption in
favour of sustainable development, the need for high standards of design and
promoting healthy communities respectively.
Central Lancashire Core Strategy
Policy 1
Policy 14
Policy 17
Locating Growth
Education
Design of New Buildings
Consultations
Chorley Borough Council – No observations received.
Euxton Parish Council – No observations received.
LCC Assistant Director (Highways) – No observations received.
Sport England – No objection
Representations – The application has been advertised by press and site notice, and
neighbouring residents informed by individual letter. Two letters of representation
have been received, one supporting and encouraging the enlargement of the school
and one objecting to the proposal maintaining that an increase in pupils would
exacerbate existing traffic and parking problems experienced by local residents at
the beginning and end of the school day, that the traffic situation at present is
dangerous and congested and the development would make things worse.
Advice
Director of Transport and Environment – Observations
The principle of erecting a primary school on the Village was established in 1997
with the grant of an outline planning permission for mixed use development, which
was accompanied by a Section 106 Agreement specifying the retention of the
existing primary school site for that purpose. The existing primary school was
designed specifically to allow for future extension to accommodate a two-form entry,
and the school has the existing infrastructure in place to accommodate the proposed
number of additional staff and pupils.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government's
Planning Policies and is a material consideration in planning decisions. Paragraph
72 of the NPPF states:
'The Government attaches great importance to ensuring that a sufficient choice of
school places is available to meet the needs of existing and new communities. Local
planning authorities should take a proactive, positive and collaborative approach to
meeting this requirement, and to development that will widen choice in education.
They should:
• give great weight to the need to create, expand or alter schools; and
• work with schools promoters to identify and resolve key planning issues
before applications are submitted.'
Policy 14 of the Central Lancashire Core Strategy supports new school facilities to
be built in locations where they are accessible by the communities they serve, using
sustainable modes of transport. The proposed development would allow for the
provision of a two-form primary school in close proximity to the residential areas of
Buckshaw Village from which the majority of pupils originate. The majority of pupils
live within 1 mile of the school site and the site can be readily accessed by foot or
bicycle via the existing footways or via the green corridor directly to the west of the
school which forms part of a pedestrian and cycle route linking residential areas of
Buckshaw Village to the north and Buckshaw Avenue to the south. It is considered
that the proposed extension of an existing primary school close to the served
community accords with the policies of the development plan and should be
supported.
Policy 17 of the Central Lancashire Core Strategy seeks to ensure that all new
development is appropriate by way of siting, massing, scale and design and is
sympathetic to surrounding land uses and occupiers, avoiding demonstrable harm to
the amenities of the local area. The existing primary school was purpose designed
to comfortably accommodate the proposed extensions both in terms of location on
site and by way of the overall scale and design; to produce a complete composite
school building.
The development would extend the existing building line closer to the boundary of
the site adjacent to Village Way, and would reduce the proximity of residential
properties in Aycliffe Drive to a distance of approximately 33m. However, the
extension in this area would be single storey and would not create any unacceptable
visual impact in view of the existing building and its context within the wider village
setting.
A letter of objection has been received on the grounds that the extension would
exacerbate existing traffic and parking problems experienced by local residents, due
to parents dropping off and collecting pupils at the beginning and end of the school
day. The design of the existing primary school site, the potential future expansion,
and its associated infrastructure, including the layout of highways and parking, was
considered, and accepted, at the time of the original application. It is considered that
there has been no change in circumstances to the highway network for this view to
have changed. The location of the school site within the Buckshaw Village
development allows for easy accessibility by walking or cycling, and although there
would be/are inevitable peaks in school related traffic at certain times of the day, the
instances would be/are for a short period of time during the working week. The
school provides an educational facility for the Village and the benefits to be accrued
from the development outweigh any short lived inconvenience to local residents.
Overall, it is considered that the development compiles with the policies of the NPPF
and the policies of the development plan.
In view of the location, scale and design of the proposed development it is
considered that no Convention Rights set out in the Human Rights Act 1998 would
be affected.
Summary of Reasons for Decision
The development would allow for the expansion of a contemporary educational
facility. The development would fulfil the objectives of the masterplan for the
development of the Buckshaw Village site and would provide educational facilities
close to the served community, which are easily accessible by sustainable modes of
transport. The development would be acceptable by way of scale and design and
would not impact upon residential visual amenity or highway safety and amenity.
The development conforms to the policies of the National Planning Policy
Framework and the policies of the development plan. The policies of the
development plan relevant to this decision are:
Central Lancashire Core Strategy
Policy 1
Policy 14
Policy 17
Locating Growth
Education
Design of New Buildings
The County Planning Authority has worked with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner based on seeking solutions to problems arising in the processing of
the planning application in full accordance with paragraphs 186 and 187 of the
National Planning Policy Framework and for the purposes of Article 31 of the Town
and Country Development Management Procedure Order 2012, Statement of
Compliance.
Recommendation
That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:
Time Limits
1.
The development shall commence not later than 3 years from the date of this
permission.
Reason: Imposed pursuant to Section 91 (1) (a) of the Town and Country
Planning Act 1990.
Working Programme
2.
The development shall be carried out in accordance with the following
documents:
a) The Planning Application and Design and Access Statement
received by the Director of Transport and Environment 13th February
2013.
b) Submitted plans and documents:
Drawing No.
8064-P01
8064-P02
8064-P03
8064-P04
8064-P05
8064-P06
8064-P07
Location Plan
Existing Site Plan
Existing Ground Floor Plan
Existing First Floor Plan
Existing Elevations 1 of 3
Existing Elevations 2 of 3
Existing Elevations 3 of 3
8064-P09
8064-P10
8064-P11
8064-P12
8064-P14
8064-P15
8064-P16
Proposed Ground Floor Plan Rev A
Proposed First Floor Plan Rev A
Proposed Elevations Rev B 1 of 2
Proposed Elevations Rev B 2 of 2
Proposed Site Plan Rev A
Proposed Fencing Alterations 1 of 2
Proposed Fencing Alterations 2 of 2
Reason: To minimise the impact of the development on the amenities of the
area and to conform with Policies 1, 14, and 17 of the Central Lancashire
Core Strategy.
Notes
The applicant's attention is drawn to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and
the British Standards Institution Code of Practice for Design of Buildings and their
approaches to meet the needs of Disabled People (BS8300:2009). The design of the
building will also need to comply with Part M of the Building Regulations 2010. In the
case of educational buildings, the applicant's attention is drawn to the Special
Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 and the guidance prepared by the
Department of Education and Skills Building Bulletin 91 (Access for the Disabled to
School Buildings) and Building Bulletin 94 (Inclusive School Design).
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
List of Background Papers
Paper
Date
97/00509/OUT
02/00748/OUT
09/00180/FULMAJ
09/13/0181
26/03/13
Contact/Directorate/Ext
Patrick McKeown/ENV/x34177
Reason for Inclusion in Part II, if appropriate
N/A