PLAN NUMBER: / APPLICANT: / AGENT:
2008/0682 / MrDKelly, Barrow In FurnessSixthFormCollege / Mr D Hagan,
Taylor Young
WARD/PARISH: / CASE OFFICER: / DATE RECEIVED:
Newbarns / Jason Hipkiss
01229 876485 / 29/05/2008
STATUTORY DATE:
27/08/2008
LOCATION:

Barrow in FurnessSixthFormCollege,Rating Lane, Barrow in Furness

PROPOSAL:
Redevelopment of college campus to create new three storey college building,with floodlit multi use games area, widening of existing vehicle access and creation of new pedestrian access, temporary car park and access, and demolition of existing college buildings.
SAVED POLICIES OF THE FORMER LOCAL PLAN:

POLICY D28

Development proposals will be expected to include a survey of existing landscape features and a landscaping scheme of a professional standard must be submitted with applications where deemed appropriate.

POLICY D32

In order to protect trees from damage during development, planning conditions will be imposed to ensure that adequate measures are taken to preserve and protect all trees identified, to be retained in any development.

POLICY D63

The Council will seek to minimise light pollution. Details of any external lighting scheme required as part of any new development should be submitted as part of the planning application. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate to the Authority that the scheme proposed is the minimum needed for security and working purposes and that it minimises the potential pollution from glare and light spillage, particularly to residential and commercial areas, areas of nature conservation importance and areas whose open and remote landscape qualities would be affected. Lighting will be required to be directed to the part of the site where it is needed and the Authority will require measures to be taken to seek to ensure that it does not spread beyond the site boundaries or upwards into the sky. Any approved scheme, once installed, will have to meet the parameters agreed in the submitted details.

POLICY E7

The Council will continue to implement the Traffic Impact Assessment requirements for local roads operated in association with the County Highway Authority and Department of Transport for relevant developments, as based on the recommendation of the Institute of Highways and Transportation.

POLICY E16

Secure cycle parking provision, in accordance with the Council’s adopted guidelines, will be required in all new car parks, particularly those associated with employment, retail, leisure and educational developments. Also the Authority will favour the provision of shower facilities at employment-generating developments.

POLICY G7

Proposals for multi-use games areas or all-weather kick-about areas with floodlighting will be approved where they are situated in the built up areas of towns and villages and residential amenities would not be adversely affected.

SUMMARY OF MAIN ISSUES:

The redevelopment of the college campus requires an assessment of transport issues, particularly traffic generation, and the general environmental impact, specifically the impact on adjacent residents, of the new campus layout which incorporates additional parking, and a floodlit outdoor games area.

NON MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Potential variations in residential property values

The perceived loss of, or impact upon, a private view.

REPRESENTATIONS:

The Occupiers of Our Ladys Chetwynde School, St Bernards Rc School, Barrow in Furness Sixth Form College, Sixth Form College Bungalow, St Bernards School House, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 Rating Lane, 71, 73, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 88 Croslands Park, 1 – 8 Croft Park Grove, 12 ,14, 17, 19, 21 Manor Park, Barrow in Furness all informed.

The Occupier, 6 Croft Park Grove, Barrow in Furness.

‘In light of the recent Planning Application on behalf ofthe Barrow Sixth Form College.

I send thisemail in the hope that ADEQUATE PARKING SPACES will be included in the scheme,due to the increasing number of students driving to the college.

I wish to bring to your attention the car parking situation around Inglewood and Croft Park Grove including access roads, while Rating Lane remains clear after 9.00 a.m.

The parking on Croft Park Grove including the access road is increasing daily particularly after 9.00 a.m, thus making it very difficultwhendrivingfromInglewood and Croft ParkGrove, due to parked cars blocking the road leading onto Rating Lane.

At busy periods because of traffic driving in from Rating Lane there is GRIDLOCK.This in turn leads to Health and Safety issues regarding Fire Engine access. The Dustbin Wagon was also unable to gain access due to the time of day - I believe. I am aware that Traffic Wardens do attend.Trust this will be taken into consideration when making your decision.’

The Occupiers, 80 Rating Lane, Barrow in Furness

“With the exception of the Case family (Manor Farm), the Kidd family have been the longest residents in this area at the present time.

I am concerned about:

1. The drainage scheme which, if I read the plans correctly, will use the waste water sewer under Manor Road. It is no secret that the sewerage systems in Manor Road and Rating Lane are already stretched and should a storm coincide with a high tide, they are cannot cope. The top the inspection hole in Rating Lane (west side of carriage way, opposite Nos. 78 and 80) has been physically lifted several centimetres by the force of water.

2. There is no provision for 'off-road' bus lanes within the new complex to reduce the pressure on Rating Lane and thereby ensure a safer means of alighting and boarding P.S.V.’s.

I would like to see these aspects of the plan assured in writing before I could see my way to supporting this application.

I am also still not sure if the Rating Lane site is the correct position for the new development. The green areas around ParkviewSchool are vast, nearer Barrow town centre, and have considerable room for expansion. They are also almost opposite the Leisure Centre with its swimming and gymnasium facilities”.

The Occupier, 10 Croft Park Grove, Barrow-in-Furness

Current Situation

  • The present building is set back from Rating Lane by some 100 metres.
  • It is a two storey building at its maximum.
  • The section of the building that has front facing windows faces ChetwyndeSchool (in fact a bank of 100 foot high conifer and deciduous trees) and not Croft Park Grove.
  • This section of the building is clad in similar brickwork to Croft Park Grove.
  • The built on section that faces Croft Park Grove is also two storey but with no windows and is also partially clad in the same brickwork as Croft Park Grove.
  • The un-built on section that faces Croft Park Grove has parking and tennis courts and allows uninterrupted views from Croft Park Grove through into the countryside beyond.
  • The current line of building is similar to that of St.Bernard’s School on the adjoining plot and is set back from the road by some 100 metres.
  • There is a low level of light pollution from the current facility

Proposed Situation

  • Demolish the current building and replace it with a new three storey building facing towards Abbey Road but situated in front of the Croft Park Grove residences.
  • The proposed building would also have a four storey glass clad staircase at the Rating Lane end of the building.
  • It is not fully clear what the cladding of the new building would be.
  • The end of the building would be positioned some 50 metres closer to Rating Lane than the face of the current building.
  • Install floodlight playing fields.
  • Increase parking spaces by approx. 40 spaces.

My Comments and Observations on the Application

  • The building would be in front of and overlook the residences on Croft Park Grove. This is not currently the case.
  • The building would be one storey higher and in the case of the west staircase, two storey’s higher than the current building.
  • The new building will be 50 metres closer to Rating Lane.
  • The glass staircase would allow a grand stand view into the bedrooms, living rooms and gardens of the Croft Park Grove residences.
  • The view through to the countryside from a number of the Croft Park Grove residences would effectively be blocked off.
  • In general, the increase in position and height and the move to closer to the road would increase the dominance of the facility over the residential area.
  • The transport survey seems to approve of the proposed extra car parking which would address the concerns of the residents of Croft Park Grove, Inglewood and CroslandsPark. (Currently students park illegally on single yellow lines during the day in these streets causing inconvenience to the residents and potential accident hazards.)
  • One of the justifications for the redevelopment is increases in student numbers. This seems to be in conflict with the proposal to have an Academy in Barrow where one of the justifications is falling student numbers. Is it true increases in student numbers or just an increase in potential student spaces.
  • If the latter is the case then the only justification seems to be to increase some classroom dimensions.
  • It seems astonishing that £30m of tax payer’s money should be spent for this paltry improvement considering the cost also includes the cost of demolishing a building that is barely 25 years old.
  • There seems to be land available to the rear of the current facility which could accommodate an increased facility. There is no evidence to show why this has not been considered as a viable alternative. If it has, there is no evidence as to why it has been discounted.
  • There will be an increased noise impact as the building and outdoor meeting space of the college will now be closer to the Croft Park Grove residences. Currently the students congregate at the rear of the building screening them physically and also deadening the sound impact. This location is in the region of 150 metres away from the residences. The fact that the building is now much closer to the residences is also bound to have an impact from plant noise.
  • The will be a potential increase in light pollution with the building being much nearer to Croft Park Grove and also from the installation of a floodlit playing field.
  • There is no evidence in the plans of any natural screening apart from the current deciduous trees by the roadside. The fact that they are deciduous means that there would be little screening effect during winter.
  • The new facility service yard – which I presume is the area where the dustbins are kept - is right next to the road and the closest point of the new development to the residences. This increases noise pollution from vehicles and potentially brings vermin closer to the residences.

Although resident’s opinions were sought by BarrowSixthFormCollege little of their views or objections has been implemented within their plan.

Some of the purported facts in the reports are inaccurate eg. In the Ground Investigation & Assessment report it states that Croft Park Grove was developed in 1990 whereas it predates the college and was built in 1978/79. Inaccuracy leads to doubt in the supporting documents.

Ultimately this is bound to have a cause and affect on the values of the properties in Croft Park Grove.

The Occupier, 5 Croft Park Grove, Barrow in Furness

“Please find attached the issues I would like to be considered and answering in the process of the Barrow Sixth Form College Application on Rating Lane.

While I’m not opposed to the continued improvement and investment within the Furness peninsula I do not in this case feel that due consideration has been given to the neighbouring residence.

I believe with the educational and residential changes proposed at this current time within the Furness peninsula this application can not be considered in isolation due to the potential impact on the Rating Lane area and its residence.

Therefore, I am strongly opposed to the above planning application.

I look forward to receiving your response

Background

In mid-April we received a letter form the Sixth Form College inviting us to look at the conceptual designed of a major construction project the college was applying to under take.This was the first time in which local residence had heard that the College was considering knocking down the existing college and re-building a larger, taller and more imposing structure directly behind residential housing.At this point we were told that the planning application was being sent into within 7 days of this invite.Since the invite I have met with both David Kelly the principle of the Sixth form College and the lead architect for the project to discuss some of the issue which I have raised below, with no clear response given to any of the issue which was raised.

As I have stated in my letter, I support all development and investment within the Furness peninsula however, only if all parties are in agreement to the investment and the investment is utilized in the most effective and beneficial way.

Having reviewed the proposed plans I have broken down my concerns into the following areas for you to consider and respond accordingly:

  • Feasibility Study
  • Planning consent
  • Rating Lane area and impact
  • Environmental impact

Feasibility Study

This project must have developed from a feasibility study in the options were available to the college and the following questions require answering:

  • What were the terms of reference for the feasibility study
  • What was the out-come of the feasibility study and what option did it come up with – Will these documents be made public
  • What is the justification for a total re-build and relocation
  • Towns demographics state that the children numbers are reducing i.e. the Academy
  • Was redevelopment of the existing college not an option as this college is only 30 years old and is nowhere near its end of life design. Is this decision based on purely funding available only for re-build not re-developing? Therefore, the decision is based only on funding not on BATNEEC (Best Available Technique Not Exceeding Excessive Cost) which I believe is the key environmental drive behind any project.
  • Was temporary college units considered while the existing site was redeveloped?
  • Has a total relocation to a new more accessible and appropriate site been considered for this overall development?

Planning Consent

The original design for the Sixth Form College has been to keep all development away from exiting residential house with no overlooking windows the college was even built in the same brick to keep it in line with other local development that had recently been built i.e. Croft Park Grove.

  • The original design is built away from the residential areas and there has been no reduction in the residential areas in this time only an increase therefore, why has this philosophy now changed to the original planning consent used? If so, why?
  • Is there a need in the town for further Astroturf pitches as we are getting park developments and other sub developments carried out all over the Furness peninsula?
  • Are the playing fields going to be used for income for the College therefore, causing further noise issues until late evening?
  • In all other development along Rating Lane St Bernards’s and the new Nursing Home on Flass Lane they have had to be masked from houses looking onto the developments. There are no plans to do this with the new college it’s larger, taller and more imposing than the current college how can this be acceptable?
  • The college owns substantial land around the existing college why could they not develop the college elsewhere on their land while keeping the existing to the principles of the original planning philosophy.
  • There is a significant security issue at present the college is set well away from any existing residential housing, college and school are a known target for vandals and thieves and by bringing the college so openly close to the housing then it has the potential to bring any opportunist towards the local housing too.

Rating Lane areas and its impact

There is a significant concern that the infrastructure around Rating Lane will not cope with any more development:

  • Public Safety – with the development of the new academy in the town all the local school populations is increasing including St Bernards which uses the outside where the new College is to be built as the bus drop off point. Also, ChetwyneSchool are actively trying to increase their numbers in its school and it’s newly form Sixth form.
  • Aligned with the Schooling issue there is a planning application in for more housing toward the Inglewood estate which will only compound these issues further
  • External issues that already occur are the parking of 6th Form student’s cars. Currently the surrounding estates have cars parked in front of their houses during College hours it is understood over 100 extra places are being made available at the new college with only 40 extra car parking spaces being created.

Taking into account the above there is a potential of over 1000 more student and school children plus the support teachers being funnelled into one bus drop off point, double park parents drop off and what can only be describe at the moment as the stop and dump parents where they just drop there children off when the cue’s make them stop which, at the peak times at present is at best at present a accident waiting to happen.