HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 12 JULY 2011 AT 10:00 AM
ST ALBANSDISTRICT -APPLICATION FOR DOUBLE MODULE CLASSROOM AND ADDITIONAL CARPARKINGATSTDOMINICRCPRIMARY SCHOOL, SOUTHDOWN ROAD, HARPENDEN
Report of the Director Environment and Commercial Services
Author: Kim Harding Tel: 01992 555 234
Local Member: Councillor Teresa Heritage
1.Purpose of Report
1.1To consider planning application ref.5/0916/11 CC0741
2.Summary
2.1Proposed new double module classroom for a period of 8 years and 4 additional car parking spaces. The classroom will facilitate the expansion of the school, increasing the number of pupils at the school by 30 in September 2011 and 30 in September 2012.
2.2The school is located opposite Harpenden Common and is within the Harpenden Conservation Area. The classroom will be located between the existing school building and the front boundary wall.
2.3The development requires the re-siting of a small oak tree and the provision of a new footpath and fence. Shrubs will be planted between the proposed classroom and the fence.
- Conclusion
3.1The report concludes that the Director Environment and Commercial Services should be authorised to grant planning permission, subject to the following conditions;
a)Approval of plans
b)Time Limit - Temporary Use for 8 years
c)Materials
d)Surface water disposal
e)Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation
f)Maintenance and implementation of School Travel Plan
g)Parking
h)Safeguarding of trees, shrubs and natural features on site
i)Landscaping
k)Construction activities
Description of the site and proposed development
4.1St Dominic Primary School is currently a 1 Form of Entry (FE) school located on a 2 hectare site. It curently has a school roll of 239 pupils, including 30 pupils in the nursery. The school lies on the east side of Southdown Road, about 100 m south of the junction with Bull Road. To the west of Southdown Road is Harpenden Common, which is Green Belt. The site lies within the Harpenden Conservation Area.
4.2Immediately adjoining the site to the east is railway line; to the north is Loudres Hall and the Grade II* listed Harpenden House Hotel. Adjoining the southern boundary of the school is residential development.
4.3The site slopes upwards from the road boundary with the back of the site being up to 5 metres higher than the eastern (road frontage) boundary. The existing single storey school building is sited on a grassy bank and can be seen over the wall from Harpenden Common on the opposite side of the road. The site contains a large number of trees within the conservation area. A small wooded area exists to the north-west of the site.
4.4Two parking areas exist on the site, both located between the existing school building and the front boundary wall.
4.5The school was built in the 1960s. The school building is red brick with a flat roof, and is set back from the roadside behind a brick and flint wall (6 ft at one end and
5 ft in the middle). Beyond the northerly car entrance, the wall becomes a railings fence.
Proposed development
4.6The application is for the erection of a double modular classroom and additional parking to facilitate the temporary two year expansion of the school by 1 Form of Entry (FE). Sixty additional pupils will continue through the school from foundation to Year 6. The classroom will be required for 8 years.
4.7The proposed classroom is 18.1 metres wide and 8.6 metres deep, and measures 151 sq.m in area and will be 3.8 metres high, slightly lower than the existing school building. The classroom will be located between the existing school building and the front boundary wall, at the base of the grassy bank. A 1.8 metre fence will be erected as part of the development to ensure separation between the car park and the school buildings.
4.8Four additional car parking spaces are proposed on the northern part of the existing car park area to cater for the 4 additional staff. A path will be formed from the carpark, past the new classroom, to the school building.
4.9A small oak tree is to be removed and replanted along the northern boundary with the group of existing trees. Shrubs are to be planted between the car park and the new classroom.
5.Consultations
5.1District Council – St Albans District Council has objected because of the effect of the building in terms of its position and size, the proposed double modular classroom would be a prominent structure, detrimental to the character and appearance of the streetscene and Conservation Area. They consider there would be insufficient space for new planting to mitigate the impact of the classroom. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the policies of the St Albans District Local Plan. If planning permission was to be granted, they suggest a number of conditions be imposed including removal of the classroom after 8 years, tree safeguarding and replacement, and landscaping. The letter of objection has been included as Appendix 2.
5.2Harpenden Town Council - No comment received
5.3Sport England has no objection to the development.
5.4The Environment Agency has no objection to the development subject to a condition on the application requiring the development to be carried out in accordance with the submitted Flood Risk Assessment (FRA).
5.5The Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre do not object to the proposals but are concerned about the incremental encroachment into the woodland habitat. They consider that the proposal will cause a temporary loss of open space and contribute to the degradation of the local ecological environment on site. HBRC would like a landscaping scheme to consider appropriate fencing or hedging around the edge of the remaining woodland block to help prevent further encroachment and stop further degradation.
5.6The County Archaeologist considers that the excavation associated with the car park could have an impact on the heritage assets of the site as it is an undeveloped part of the site. They have no objection, subject to conditions being imposed requiring archaeological monitoring.
5.7The Highways Authority has no objection to the proposal, subject to conditions requiring implementation of the School Travel Plan and the formation of the parking spaces.
5.8 Publicity for the application included advertising in the St Albans and Harpenden Review on the 19 May 2011 and the erection of 2 notices on the site on 12 May 2011.
5.9Nine properties were consulted on the application. Two letters objecting to the application were received. The main issue of concern raised by neighbours is the lack of sightlines for residents entering and exiting their properties, because of inconsiderate parking by parents while dropping off and picking up their children.
- Planning considerations
6.1The relevant development plan policies are the saved policies from the St Albans Local Plan 1994. The relevant planning policies are listed below:
Policy 34 ‘Highways considerations in Development Control’
Policy 65 ‘Education facilities’
Policy 69 ‘General Design and Layout’
Policy 74 ‘Landscaping and Tree Preservation’
Policy 85 ‘Development in Conservation Areas’
6.2The principal issues to be taken into account in determining this application are:
The principle of development
Preservation of the conservation area
Design and layout
Traffic and highways issues
Principle of Development
6.3There is currently rising demand for school places in areas of Hertfordshire. This application proposes to increase the capacity of the school by 1FE over a temporary period (30 in September 2011 and 30 in September 2012). This will ultimately result in 60 additional pupils who will continue through the school from Foundation year to Year 6. The proposed classroom will therefore be required for 8 years. The site already contains school buildings, and as such there is no objection in principle to the use of the site for the school extension.
6.4The new classroom will have an impact on the surrounding area in terms of visual impact, design, noise and disturbance, road access and traffic generation. These are discussed in greater detail below. The proposal therefore complies with Policy 65 Education Facilities.
Preservation of the Conservation Area
6.5The site lies within the Harpenden Conservation Area. Policy 85 of the Local Plan states: Permission will be granted only where a high standard of design is achieved and the proposal enhances or preserves the appearance of the conservation area. Development must be sympathetic to its surroundings and to the conservation area as a whole.
The policy also lists criteria to be considered in any development including the existing building line; form and density and materials used (see Appendix 1).
6.6A Conservation Area Character Statement was prepared in 2008. The development falls into Identity Area L1; Development surrounding the common – East Side. The school lies in the northern end of Southdown Road, adjacent to the HarpendenHouseHotel- parts of which date from the eighteenth century. The area has attractive brick and flint walls (including one along part of the school frontage). Residential development to the south of the school consists of well-spaced modern houses in mature gardens, set well back from the street.
6.7St AlbansCity and District Council have objected to the effect that the classroom will have on the conservation area by way of its position and size. They were also concerned that there was no space for planting in front of the classroom to soften its appearance.
6.8Since receiving the objection, the appearance of the classroom has been amended from that originally proposed.
The 1.8 metre wire meld fence originally proposed to run in front of the classroom has been repositioned to finish either side of the classroom.
The classroom has been lowered 0.5 metres, reducing its visual prominence when seen from Harpenden Common.
Planting of shrubs has been proposed in front of the building to break up the mass of the frontward facing elevation, further lessening the visual prominence of the structure and continuing the surrounding vegetation through the site.
The exterior will also be cedar clad, building on the relationship with the wooded area to the side of the classroom site.
6.9Alternative locations have been scoped out in detail, including to the rear and the side of the site. The current siting of the mobile has been carefully considered by the school, the building surveyor and school planning officer from a curriculum delivery and school management perspective. One of the main constraints is the sloping nature of the site and current provision of flat, useable hard and soft play areas, which are adjacent to existing classrooms. The school is clear that neither the rear nor the side of the school are workable alternatives from a school perspective, as both would compromise existing facilities for pupils.
6.10The classroom will extend closer to the front boundary than the existing school building by 4.2 metres. However, it is in line with the building line of the existing residential properties to the south of the school.
6.11The proposed classroom is set back from the roadside and the walled boundary. The height of the classroom is proposed to be slightly lower than the existing school buildings and is smaller than the existing school buildings. The school is set on a large site, and the spacing of the classroom will not detract from the form and density of the immediate area.
6.12The classroom is proposed to be clad in Cedar, which will give the classroom a quality finish, in keeping with its wooded setting. Low level planting of shrubs will be used in the space between the car park and the classroom building to further soften the appearance of the new classroom.
6.13Overall, the proposed amended modular classroom is an acceptable standard of design, which preserves the appearance of the conservation area. The classroom design is sympathetic to its surroundings, and therefore is not contrary to Policy 85 of the Local Plan.
General Design and Layout
6.14The overall design of the classroom is a standard construction and is constructed off-site and set down. The original classroom design has been modified to make it more acceptable to the conservation area setting. The windows have been enlarged which softens the utilitarian appearance of the classroom, and relates better to the existing school building. Cedar cladding is also proposed. This will visually link the building to the surrounding woodland and trees.
Trees and Landscaping
6.15 One small oak tree is proposed to be relocated as part of the application and planting to the front of the building is proposed. HBRC would also like the wooded area to be fenced off, so that access to the wooded area can be managed. The proposal therefore complies with Policy 74 Landscaping and Tree Preservation.
Traffic and Highways Issues
6.16The 60 additional pupils are expected to generate 13 additional vehicle movements at pick up and drop off time (from survey data in the 2010 School Travel Plan). This could create congestion and result in high demand for parking spaces close to the school. The Transport Assessment submitted with the application proposes several measures to address this such as staggered drop off and collection periods; increased car share rates and reducing car trip generation rates and the identification of possible park and stride locations or walking bus routes.
6.17 The School has a current School Travel Plan. Measures to be implemented during 2011/12 include an additional walking school bus and encouraging greater car sharing. The Highways Authority is satisfied that the plan will ameliorate much of the increase in congestion associated with the application. The School Travel Plan will be required to be maintained and implemented by way of condition.
6.18Residents at 33 and 34 Southdown Road have objected to the application on the basis of a lack of sightlines during pick up and drop-off time. They have suggested using mirrors, road humps and the imposition of a 20 miles zone to manage the impact of school drop off and pick up. The Highways Authority recognises that this is an existing situation. It has considered the suggestion of mirrors on the road but does not permit mirrors to be erected on the highway. It also considers that the speed of traffic does not warrant extra measures being imposed, particularly when the road is congested with parents dropping off children, and that road humps are unnecessary. In addition there is an existing traffic calming feature further south on Southdown Road in the form of a chicane. The proposal would lead to an increase in traffic at the site. Measures proposed should minimise the impacts associated with this increase, on balance the need for extra school places is provided at an existing school and in the area where the pupils arise and the provision of this need outweighs any harm arising from additional traffic impacts.
Car Parking
6.19 Four staff parking spaces are to be provided as part of this application. They will be located to the side of the existing second staff car park. The site currently has 34 car parking spaces. The Highways Authority is happy that the current and proposed parking will adequately cater for staff parking needs on site.
7.Conclusion
7.1Overall, it is considered that the proposed modular classroom will preserve the appearance of the conservation area, and in conjunction with the conditions proposed will have a minimal additional impact associated with the pick-up and dropping of children.
7.2 As the classroom is temporary for eight years, any impact will be temporary.
7.3 The proposal is considered to comply with the policies of the St AlbansCity and District Local Plan. The report therefore concludes that the Director Environment and Commercial Services should be authorised to grant planning permission for the temporary erection of a double modular classroom and additional car parking at St Dominic RC Primary School, Harpenden, subject to the following conditions;
a)Approval of plans
b)Time Limit - Temporary Use for 8 years
c)Materials
d)Disposal of Surface water in accordance with Flood Risk Assessment
e)Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation
f)Maintenance and implementation of School Travel Plan
g)Parking to be provided
h)Safeguarding of trees, shrubs and natural features on site
i)Landscaping scheme, including replanting oak tree and fencing of woodland
j)Limit of operations
k)Construction activities
8 Financial Implications
8.1 There are none for this Committee.
Background information used by the author in compiling this report
Planning application reference 5/0916/11
Consultee responses
Relevant policy documents
Appendix 1 - Relevant development plan policies
Appendix 2 – St AlbansCity and District Council response
Appendix 1 - Relevant development plan policies
St Albans Local Plan 1994
Policy 34 ‘Highways considerations in Development Control’
Development likely to generate a significant amount of traffic or which involves the creation or improvement of an access onto the public highway, will not normally be permitted unless acceptable in terms of the following highways considerations:
Policy 65 ‘Education facilities’
Proposal for new schools, extensions to existing schools or changes of use to schools will be assessed against the following:
A: Within towns and specified settlements
(ii) the impact on the amenity of the surrounding area in terms of visual impact, design, noise and disturbance, road access and traffic generation;
(iii) sufficient on-site parking and servicing shall be provided;
(iv) provision shall be made for the setting down and picking up of pupils, by car or public transport, in a safe and acceptable manner ….
Policy 69 ‘General Design and Layout’
All development shall have an adequately high standard of design taking into account the following factors:
(i) Context:- the scale and character of its surroundings in terms of height, size, scale, density or plot to floorspace ratio.
(ii) Materials – Shall normally relate to adjoining buildings…
Policy 74 ‘Landscaping and Tree Preservation’
The Council will take account of the following landscaping factors when considering planning applications:
(i) Retention of existing landscaping