Report of the Head of Development Management to consider an application  for the erection of a 3 storey building to provide a new primary school.

The committee received the report of the Head of Development Management, including the relevant planning history of the site and details of the responses to the application.

The Development Management Team Leader (PB) introduced the report explaining that the application was for the erection of a three storey building to provide a new primary school with roof top play area.

Attention was drawn to the update sheet, which included some additional information and an amended condition.

The Vice Chair invited David Stevenson to speak for the application.  Speaking on behalf of St John’s (CofE) Primary School, Father Stevenson expressed the passion and commitment of a small, inexperienced team to deliver a new school in the heart of their local community.

The primary school would provide 420 school places at a central location in the town, which would allow community use of the building from 7am until 11pm.  It was supported by the Department for Education and had received funding and support from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

The Vice Chair invited Central Ward Councillor, Steve Bolton, to speak to the committee.  Councillor Bolton outlined the unique nature of this application.  Increasing development across the town had strained local infrastructure and schools.  Although the site was not ideal, the available options in central Watford were extremely limited. 

Strictly adhered to standards and tight funding arrangements restricted the scope for innovative design and greater scale.  However the application would bring much needed school places to the local area and would not adversely impact the adjacent houses on Estcourt Road.

The Vice Chair invited comments from the committee.

The committee welcomed the application which had strong and active community backing.  There was an acknowledged need for school places in Watford and, although the proposed location and building design were not ideal, committee members concurred with the view that the available options were extremely limited.

Further thought was encouraged in the development of a robust school travel plan to ensure that children were able to reach school safely, and on the parking arrangements for staff and visitors.

Moving the officer’s recommendation, the Vice Chair wished the school luck in its new location.

RESOLVED –

that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1.        The development to which this permission relates shall be begun within a period of two years commencing on the date of this permission.

2.        The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved drawings:-

            SJW-PE-XX-00-DR-A-9201 P01

            SJW-PE-XX-01-DR-A-9202 P02

            SJW-PE-XX-02-DR-A-9203 P02

            SJW-PE-XX-03-DR-A-9204 P03

            SJW-PE-XX-ZZ-DR-A-9250 P03, 9251 P02

            EFASJ-ALA-00-ZZ-P-L-0001 PL0

3.        No construction works shall commence until full details and samples of the materials to be used for the external surfaces of the building and the roof top play area have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

4.        No construction works shall commence until details of the window reveals and detailing around the windows have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall only be implemented in accordance with the approved materials.

5.        The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Flood Risk Assessment carried out by BWB reference JCE-BWB-EWE-RP-EN-0001-FRA dated November 2011 and the SuDS Statement reference JCE-BWB-HDG-XX-RP-PD-0001-SDS dated December 2016, the following mitigation measures detailed within the FRA:

i)         Providing attenuation to ensure no increase in surface water run-off volumes for all rainfall events up to and including the 1 in 100 year + climate change event.

ii)        Limiting the surface water run-off to 5l/s with discharge in Thames Surface water sewer.

iii)       Implementing appropriate SuDS measures as shown on the drainage strategy plan, drawing no. JCE-BWB-HDG-00-DR-PD-0001

            The mitigation measures shall be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme, or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

6.        No development shall take place until a detailed surface water drainage scheme for the site based on the approved FRA and sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The drainage strategy should demonstrate the surface water run-off generated up to and including 1 in 100 year + climate change critical storm will not exceed the run-off from the undeveloped site following the corresponding rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed.

i)         Detailed engineered drawings of the proposed SuDS features including their size, volume, depth and any inlet and outlet features including any connecting pipe runs.

ii)        Final detailed management plan to include arrangements for adoption and any other arrangements to secure the operation of the scheme throughout its lifetime.

7.        No part of the development shall be occupied until the refuse and recycling store to serve the development, as shown on the approved drawings, has been constructed and made available for use. This facility shall be retained as approved at all times.

8.        No part of the development shall be occupied until a detailed hard landscaping scheme for the site, including details of all site boundary treatments and external lighting, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the works have been carried out in accordance with the approved details.

9.        No part of the development shall be occupied until cycle parking facilities for 54 cycles for children and 10 cycles for staff and visitors have been provided in accordance with the approved drawings. These facilities shall be retained at all times.

10.      At least 3 months prior to the first occupation of the school, a detailed Travel Plan for the school, based upon the Hertfordshire County Council document ‘Hertfordshire Green Travel Plan Guidance’, shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority.  The approved Travel Plan shall be implemented at all times.

11.      The approved landscaping scheme (drawing no. EFASJ-ALA-00-ZZ-P-L-0006 PL0) shall be carried out not later than the first available planting and seeding season after completion of development. Any trees or plants whether new or existing which within a period of five years die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, or in accordance with details approved by the Local Planning Authority.

12.      No plant or equipment shall be sited on the external elevations of the building unless details of the plant or equipment have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall include size, appearance, siting and technical specifications relating to noise.

Informatives

1.        You are advised of the need to comply with the provisions of The Control of Pollution Act 1974, The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, The Clean Air Act 1993 and The Environmental Protection Act 1990.

            In order to minimise impact of noise, any works associated with the development which are audible at the site boundary should be restricted to the following hours:

·         Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm

·         Saturdays 8am to 1pm

·         Noisy work is prohibited on Sundays and bank holidays

            Instructions should be given to ensure that vehicles and plant entering and leaving the site comply with the stated hours of work.

            Further details for both the applicant and those potentially affected by construction noise can be found on the Council’s website at:

            https://www.watford.gov.uk/info/20010/your_environment/188/neighbour_complaints_%E2%80%93_construction_noise.

2.        All new developments granted planning permission and to be constructed require naming or numbering under the Public Health Act 1925. You must contact Watford Borough Council Street Naming and Numbering department as early as possible prior to commencement on streetnamenumber@watford.gov.uk or 01923 278458. A numbering notification will be issued by the council, following which Royal Mail will assign a postcode which will make up the official address. It is also the responsibility of the developer to inform Street Naming and Numbering when properties are ready for occupancy.

3.         In dealing with this application, Watford Borough Council has considered the proposal in a positive and proactive manner having regard to the policies of the development plan as well as paragraphs 186 and 187 of the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations, and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010, as amended. The Council also gave advice on the proposal and sought amendments during the application process.