Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of a building comprising a sports hall with associated changing facilities and seven classrooms built on existing hard play tennis courts, four hard play sports pitches to be provided to replace existing, provision of 33 parking spaces and two mobile classrooms to be provided for the duration of the project.

The application site was located within Chancellors School, Brookmans Park, to the south of the existing school buildings.  The site encapsulated the main school access and turning head; an area of hard surfacing, hard play Netball and Tennis Courts and an area of undeveloped grassland.

Access to the site for vehicles and pedestrians was from Pine Grove, a local access road with no throughway.  Pedestrian access was also available from Golf Club Road where pupils could enter the school grounds and circumnavigate the playing field to access the main school site.

On-site parking was available for 63 cars.  A small area of unmarked hard-surface at the western end of the access was also utilised for overspill parking (about nine cars) whilst the remainder of vehicles parked on-street.

The site was bounded to the north by the main school building and to its south by school playing fields.  The school playing fields formed part of the Potters Bar Parkland Landscape Character Area (PBPLCA).  The undeveloped grassland to the western side of the application site was also included in the PBPLCA.  Beyond the western boundary of the site on the opposite side of Golf Club Road was the main clubhouse and car park at Brookmans Park Golf Club.  To the immediate east of the site was the residential street of Pine Grove.  

This application was presented to the Committee because North Mymms Parish Council had submitted a Major Objection:-

“It must be a condition that the temporary classrooms be removed before occupation of the new classrooms occur (otherwise they will never go). The design is unimaginative and the materials proposed industrial, which for a Green Belt site show a lack of sympathy from the designers for the natural surroundings. The constant use of grey in colour schemes will date the building in the short term. The proposed building will be visible to users of The Drive, Ash Close and Golf Course Road. The wow factor alluded to in the Design and Access Statement will be of no consequence to this assault on the Green Belt which does not meet high quality design as required by NPPF. It is recognised that additional teaching space and sports facilities are needed at the school, however the proposal will have an impact on the openness and character of the area beyond the school boundary. The additional car parking required to accommodate extra staff and the expansion of the pupil numbers is of concern as traffic flow at the junction of Pine Grove, Georges Wood Road and the A1000 are not reflected accurately in the Transport Assessment which states that traffic conditions at peak times (2.2.1) on both Brookmans Avenue/Georges Wood Road and the A1000 is low. This is nonsense. The local bus service is poor and the train station some distance away so travel for those coming on these will be precarious. The likelihood is that more car journeys will result from additional numbers and this will impact on the village and main highway. The Assessment does not accurately the dreadful parking in Pine Grove around the School.  A Green Travel Plan as outlined in the Travel Assessment and referencing HCC’s Local Transport Plan, is theoretically good but must form a condition of the planning approval. There is scant mention of Sustainability in the Design and Access Statement which causes concern. We mention this because it is an element of the NPPF and the materials chosen are not particularly sustainable because of the manufacturing processes needed to produce them. There is no mention of heating and how this will be achieved - although there is one paragraph under the heading Sustainability, which refers to ventilation and insulation, all of which is covered by Building Regulations.  Heating a huge void in a sports hall is a serious business and the environmental impact should not be ignored in a major application such as this.  In addition, although the special circumstance proposed is the increase in school places, the poor design, lack of consideration for the Green Belt location and effect on the openness of the site, will cause detrimental impact and harm. It is disingenuous (Page 17, Paragraph 3) of the school to state they do not intend to increase staff numbers with the increase in pupils.  An additional 210 pupils will surely require at the very least additional ancillary staff.  North Mymms Parish Council note that there is a new Travel Assessment. However, there are inaccuracies in it and other matters of concern. It should be noted that Georges Wood Road is a private road. Therefore whilst access across it is permissible it is a major concern for residents who have to pay to maintain it. Increased numbers will exacerbate the traffic on this route. It is noted that the majority of pupils and staff live more than 3 miles away. Therefore, there will be more journeys when the school expands, which alongside the inconsiderate parking in Pine Grove - the provision of 33 extra car parking spaces, will not improve the parking issues experienced in and around the area. Staggered arrivals/departures does not allow for cars arriving early and parking whilst waiting for pupils to enter or leave the school via Pine Grove. Referring to Item 3.9 (Bus Timetable).  This clearly indicates that at least 2 buses (200 and 201) are unavailable for travel owing to times of arrival/departure nearest the school.  Referring to Item 3.12 (Rail Services). This information is inaccurate and misleading as Great Northern only operate 2 services out of peak morning rush hour and as Brookmans Park and Welham Green stations are not on the fast line, only, all stops.  Trains allow disembarkation during the morning rush hour and there are only 2 services in either direction in the afternoons, half an hour apart. Both train stations are over a mile from the school and indeed access to Welham Green station by walking is dangerous, particularly in the winter months when the weather can be inclement and it is dark. The proposed design is a missed opportunity as an industrial box is not fitting for a rural location”.

D.Croston spoke for the application saying that the school admissions policy had been changed and the local education authority was encouraging the school to expand to provide specialist facilities to meet secondary school needs. Extra parking provision and the promotion of sustainable transport would mitigate objections about parking and traffic.

L.Panayiotou spoke against the application on behalf of local residents saying that it was not a sustainable solution as it would cause extra traffic in the Green Belt. It would destroy the character of Pine Gove and the village and increase the school’s carbon footprint.

Two late representations had been received from local residents, including a video showing car parking on pathways.

North Mymms Parish Councillor J.Boulton spoke against the application presenting the Parish Council’s objections on the grounds that the visibility and design of the proposed building was not of the standard required in the Green Belt and would cause increased traffic in neighbouring roads. The application should be refused because of the adverse effect it would have on the amenity and character of the area.

Following discussion, it was proposed and seconded by Councillors P.Hebden and S.Kasumu and

RESOLVED:

(Unanimous)

That the Committee resolves to grant outline planning permission subject to the satisfactory completion of a Section 106 Agreement securing the School Travel Plan and the agreement of any necessary extensions to the statutory determination period to complete this agreement and to the conditions as set out in the report.