Agenda item

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) detailing the Hawkshead Campus masterplan.

The Hawkshead Campus was vital to the RVC’s rural operations and was currently identified as a Major Developed Site in the Green Belt where all but minor development should come forward in the context of a development brief.

The RVC’s Hawkshead Campus Masterplan had been developed in response to a need for clarity regarding forthcoming development for stakeholders including the local community, Parish Councils, Hertfordshire County Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.  The Masterplan was intended to inform development projects during the period 2018-2028 and would serve as planning guidance for development control purposes, therefore, must be the subject of public consultation and approved by the Council.

The Masterplan identified a package of short and medium term interventions that would be further developed through consultation.  As a whole, it sought to provide a vision for the campus that enhanced the green infrastructure, reflected its location in the Green Belt, improved the built environment, encouraged connections and places of exchange whilst facilitating the removal of buildings that detracted from the campus and were no longer fit for purpose.  The proposed approach aimed to promote development that was efficient, of high quality, and sustainable. 

The report of Officers listed the key principles of the Masterplan as:

•      the numbers of students based at Hawkshead would increase to approximately 1,200 while staff numbers remained broadly stable

•      the College would meet head-on the challenge posed by direct competitors and would do all in its power to develop sustainably

•      the College would focus on improving its built estate primarily to improve the student experience, but would also seek to improve the teaching and learning, research and clinical environment for staff and clients

•      the College would strive to retain its position in the university world rankings and its accreditations with professional bodies

•      the College would seek to minimise the environmental impact of its buildings and Operations

•      the College would seek to improve the quality of its buildings, many of which are in very poor condition

•      the College would continue to strengthen its community engagement

The application had been presented to the Development Management Committee because the RVC Masterplan would serve as planning guidance for development management purposes and had more than just local interest. 

Five key sites had been identified for development and these were summarised by Officers.  It was concluded the vision for the campus set out in the Masterplan was considered to afford benefits in all areas of sustainability and was in accordance with the aims and objectives of saved policies of the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan, the Draft Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Officers reiterated that approving the Masterplan would not result in the granting of planning permission and that any planning applications which came forward in the context of this Masterplan would be considered on their merits against Development Plan Policies in the usual way.

Ian Darker, representing the Royal Veterinary College, spoke in favour of the application.

It was then proposed by Councillor A.Chesterman, seconded by Councillor P.Shah and

RESOLVED:

(unanimous)

That the Hawkshead Campus Masterplan be agreed.