Agenda item

This was an application for the erection of a standalone three storey teaching block with changing block, 3G Pitch with 6no 15m floodlights, two single storey in-fill extensions to the existing school, fencing to grass pitches outside school boundary, a new 5v5 mini soccer pitch, and associated landscape works at Holy Trinity Academy, Teece Drive, Priorslee, Telford, Shropshire, TF2 9SQ.

This application was before the Committee as Telford and Wrekin Council was the applicant. 

Councillor V Fletcher had also requested that the application be determined by Planning Committee. 

The application was subject to a Memorandum of Understanding for a financial contribution towards potential traffic restriction orders in the vicinity of the school.

Councillor V Fletcher, Ward Member, said that, although school places were needed, she had concerns regarding the loss of green space regularly used by the public.  She raised further concerns regarding the green guarantee, the 5x5 sports pitch and its upkeep, the highway impact in regards to excess traffic, the bus route and parking on grass verges despite the double yellow lines, the route being used as a rat run and road safety due to the lack of a school crossing.  The impact of noise and light impact on the surrounding homes and on the classrooms during construction and the effect on health and wellbeing was also a concern.  She felt it failed to meet policies and there was non-compliance with policy NE3.  Councillor Fletcher was of the opinion that other potential solutions had not been considered and the pitches could be well maintained with or without a fence and it was asked that the School and the community worked together to find a solution.

Councillor R Cadman spoke against the application on behalf of St Georges and Priorslee Parish Council.  Although they were not against the expansion of the school as there were not enough school places within the Borough, they raised concerns regarding the fencing off of valuable green space, the impact on the traffic on Teece Drive, the loss of access to green space which was important for mental and physical wellbeing and the use of the 3G pitch year round.  They raised concerns regarding the impact of local residents and young children with regard to light and noise pollution and the increased traffic and impact on the nearby residential estate.

Mr L Coffey and Mr M Anderson spoke in favour of the application and confirmed that the construction of the new block and the playing pitch improvements were welcomed and that a need had been identified for additional pupil places.  The application would improve facilities including an artificial playing pitch and changing facilities and would give greater flexibility for pupils and local people and improve safety and security for students.  The green space would remain accessible as part of the network and a community use agreement would bring a better balance.  An updated travel plan was submitted as part of the application which would assist in reducing vehicular trips and 21 parking spaces would be made available for drop offs and pick-ups to help reduce the impact upon the highway network and was fully compliance with policy.   The development would increase the access to teaching and reduce the pressure on school places and oversubscription.  The School were happy to work with the local community in relation to the community use agreement, maintenance and management of the facilities in order that they were sustained long into the future.

The Planning Officer informed Members that the high number of objections to the enclosure of the existing pitches had been recognised but that this freedom of access when not in use by the school must be balanced against the needs and requirements of a safe school environment for students and teachers and a satisfactory level of outdoor sports facilities.  There would be a better maintained sports pitch for local residents together with a community use agreement and was in line with policy NE3.    The highways impact would be mitigated by students being encouraged to use sustainable transport modes and the school would be encouraged to use the Modeshift STARS programme supported by the Department of Transport and engaging with the Road Safety Team in order to bring forward sustainable modes of transport and a sustainable school travel plan.  Traffic restriction orders/traffic management measures had been considered with a sum requested to mitigate local impact of the extension through traffic restriction orders and other measures.  With regards to the impact of the new 3G pitch a noise and light assessment had been undertaken which satisfied concerns.  Members were reminded that the 3G pitch replaced an existing grass pitch which could also be used outside of school hours.

The Legal Advisor addressed the Committee regarding the element of this proposal which included the enclosure of areas external playing pitches with fencing.  He commented on that point raised that the land to be enclosed had been held by the Council as public open space since 1992 when it was acquired off Telford Development Corporation the assertion that enclosure of this public open space would be contrary to the Open Spaces legislation.  He confirmed officers’ understanding from information currently available, that, when the Council acquired the land off TDC in 1992 it was used as playing fields and so fitted the definition of open space and that this open space use appeared to have continued.  He went on to say that public open space was held by the Council under a statutory trust for the benefit of the public, but that, subject to certain procedural requirements being followed, this did not prevent the Council from leasing or selling it.  Further, he said that if it was leased to the Holy Trinity Academy the public open space status would fall away and that the Academy could enclose these areas and make them available under the terms of a Community Use Agreement as explained in the report.  He added that the current uses and proposed new community arrangements for use of these external areas were described in the Planning Officer’s report and that, importantly, they were material planning considerations which needed to be weighed in the planning balance and given such weight as Members considered appropriate in the determination of this planning application.

During the debate some Members raised concerns regarding the fencing in of the local playing fields on Teece Drive which had been used by residents of Priorslee for many years and which was a green guarantee site, the traffic impact and the use of the drop off and pick up point, the access to Teece Drive, the restrictions on access from the community use agreement and impact in the winter months, the number of objections received, the academy charging for the use of the once free open space and the detrimental affect on the residents of Priorslee.  Other Members felt that the Council had to provide for the future education needs of the children and the application and asked if the removal of a green space had to be approved by Cabinet and if this was a planning consideration.  Some Members asked if the fence was necessary and if there was a way of giving more access to the socially used space for public wellbeing.  A further concern raised were the size of the dining room extension, road safety and students crossing the roads and anti-social behaviour.

The Legal Advisor confirmed that a Cabinet resolution would be required to lease this green guarantee site but that this Cabinet Process was not a planning consideration.

The Planning Officer confirmed that different options had been considered and that this option was the most appropriate to safeguard children and teachers and the community use agreement had been put in place.  The drop off point was part of the travel plan conditions and further details would be requested on how this would be managed and this would be reviewed annually.  In regard to the community use agreement conditions were provided by Sport England and the Council would need to work with them in relation to what forms part of the agreement ie school times, public use and booking arrangements.   Policy NE3 with regard to recreation facilities took a balanced approach to each of the points raised and the wider benefits and advantages such as safeguarding.  The existing sports facility as part of the open space still remained, the difference being that how it would be managed had changed.  One Member questioned the size of the dining room extensions and the Officer advised that the use of the dining room and how this was managed was a matter for the school and not a planning consideration.  Road safety relating to the existing school would have been picked up in the original application and was not for consideration within this application.  Safeguarding was a wider issue although dog fouling and the risk of antisocial behaviour was part of this and this extra level of protection would lead to the children being in a safe and enclosed school environment.

On being put to the vote it was, by a majority

RESOLVED – that that delegated authority be granted to the Development Management Service Delivery Manager to grant full planning permission (with the authority to finalise any matter including conditions, legal agreement terms, or any later variations) subject to:

i)             The applicants/landowner entering into a memorandum agreement

                 with the Local Planning Authority in order to secure a sum of 

                 £10,000 towards traffic restriction orders (TRO’s) or Traffic

                 Management Measures where appropriate.

      ii)       a Memorandum Monitoring Fee of £200

iii)          The conditions contained in the report