School at Lake Farm Botwell Common Road, Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon Planning Application No.68911/APP/2012/2983
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planning report PDU/3092/01 16 January 2013 School at Lake Farm Botwell Common Road, Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon planning application no.68911/APP/2012/2983 Strategic planning application stage 1 referral (new powers) Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); Greater London Authority Acts 1999 and 2007; Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 The proposal New 3 Form of Entry Primary School (630 students) plus a nursery (45 students) and a Special Resource Provision Unit for approximately 12 pupils, associated car parking, hard and soft play areas, sports pitches, pedestrian and vehicular access routes and landscaping. The applicant The applicant is London Borough of Hillingdon Resident Services, and the architect is 9.design and landscape architects. Strategic issues Loss of Green Belt, education use, urban design, access, sustainable development, and transport are the strategic issues relevant to this scheme. Recommendation That Hillingdon Council be advised that the application does not comply with the London Plan, for the reasons set out in paragraph 52 of this report; but that the possible remedies set out in that paragraph of the report could address these deficiencies. The application does not need to be referred back to the Mayor if the Council resolves to refuse permission, but it must be referred back if the Council resolves to grant permission. Context 1 On 6 December 2012 the Mayor of London received documents from Hillingdon Council notifying him of a planning application of potential strategic importance to develop the above site for the above uses. Under the provisions of The Town & Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 the Mayor has until 16 January 2013 to provide the Council with a statement setting out whether he considers that the application complies with the London Plan, and his reasons for taking that view. The Mayor may also provide other comments. This report sets out information for the Mayor’s use in deciding what decision to make. 2 The application is referable under Category 3D of the Schedule of the Order 2008: “Development – (a) on land allocated as Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land in the development plan, in proposals for such a plan, or in proposals for the alteration or replacement of such a plan; page 1 and (b) which would involve the construction of a building with a floor space of more than 1000 square metres or a material change in the use of such building” and Category 3E of the above order: ”Development – (a) which does not accord with one or more provisions of the development plan in force in the area in which the application site is situated; and (b) comprises or includes the provision of more than 2,500 square metres of floorspace for a use falling within any of the following classes in the Use Class Order – (xi) class D1 (non-residential institutions) .” 3 Once Hillingdon Council has resolved to determine the application, it is required to refer it back to the Mayor for his decision, as to whether to direct refusal or allow the Council to determine it itself, unless otherwise advised. In this instance if the Council resolves to refuse permission it need not refer the application back to the Mayor. 4 The Mayor of London’s statement on this case will be made available on the GLA website www.london.gov.uk. Site description 5 Lake Farm Country Park is located in the southern part of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It falls within Botwell ward and is located towards the west of Hayes town Centre. The entire application site falls within the Green Belt as shown on the Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan Proposals Map. The land to the west and the playing fields to the south also fall within the Green Belt. The areas to the north and east of the park are largely residential in character and the areas to the south and west predominantly comprise a mix of industrial and business areas and Green Belt land. 6 The site is bounded to the north by Botwell Common Road, beyond which are residential properties. It is bounded to the east by Botwell Lane, beyond which is Lake Gardens, a formal public open space comprising mown grass, trees and footways, which is designated as a 'Green Link.' The area beyond Lake Gardens is predominantly residential in character. To the south west the site is bounded by residential properties in Rostrevor Gardens and a privately owned former sports ground, the buildings for which are now used by a community group. The Grand Union Canal and Blyth Road/Printing House Lane Industrial and Business Area lie beyond. Informal meadow/grassland comprising the remainder of Lake Farm Country Park bounds the site's western boundary. 7 In its entirety, Lake Farm covers an area of approximately 24 hectares. Originally part of Botwell Common, it was enclosed in 1814 and subdivided; parts were used for gravel extraction and page 2 subsequently brickworks. These were subsequently backfilled and the site used for radar testing. It is now a country park, comprising open meadowland/grassland and shrubs, interspersed by both formal and informal footpaths and bridleways. Two areas of formal grassland and trees, both with a children's playground, are situated in the north western and south western corners of the park, respectively. A BMX track and a car park for visitors to the Country Park are located adjacent to the western boundary. The park has been awarded Green Flag status. 8 The proposed new three form of entry primary school would occupy an irregularly shaped plot located at the eastern side of the Country Park. The school site itself will occupy an area of approximately 3.6 hectares. However, due to proposed offsite works, such as landscaping enhancements, the application site comprises a total area of approximately 5.6 hectares. 9 The north east corner of the site comprises formal open space, delineated by a mature hedgerow to the west and south. This area of mown-grass includes tree planting, a small children's playground, formal footpaths, a statue named by local people as the 'Tyler of Eden - The Skylark', and it also accommodates the park's green flag. The remainder of the application site comprises informal meadowland and grassland, which for the most part of the year is allowed to grow wild, interspersed with mown paths for use by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Formal paths also cross the site. The site is predominantly flat with very little undulation. 10 The site is located approximately 1.5 km from the A4020 (Uxbridge Road) which is part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN), and 1.5 km from the A312 (The Parkway) which is part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Two high frequency bus routes are within walking distance of the site (routes U4 and U5), providing links to Uxbridge and Hayes. Hayes and Harlington station is approximately 1 km from the site, which will benefit from Crossrail services from 2018. The site’s public transport accessibility level (PTAL) is 2 (on a scale of 1 to 6, where 6 is the most accessible). Details of the proposal 11 This application seeks full planning permission for the erection of a new three form of entry primary school with associated facilities including playgrounds, playing fields, car parking, access and landscaping, on land at Lake Farm Country Park in Hayes. 12 The three form of entry school would be capable of accommodating up to 630 students, plus a nursery for 45 children per session in two sessions and a SEN/SRP (Special Education Needs) unit for approximately 12 pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A school of this size would require approximately 60 staff. The buildings would have a total floor area of approximately 3,300 sq m and the school would occupy an overall area of approximately 3.6 hectares. Case history 13 An informal pre-application meeting was carried between Hillingdon Council and GLA officers in mid August 2012. Major concerns were raised in regard to the “inappropriateness” of a new school development on Green Belt. The applicant was advised of the need to demonstrate very special circumstances having regard to the need for the additional spaces and lack of alternative sites. 14 The applicant was advised that the proposed site layout and the spread of development appeared to make the impact on the openness of the Green Belt more harmful. Strategic planning issues and relevant policies and guidance page 3 15 The relevant issues and corresponding policies are as follows: Green Belt London Plan Education London Plan Urban design London Plan Access London Plan; Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment SPG; Planning and Access for Disabled People: a good practice guide (ODPM) Sustainable development London Plan; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG; Mayor’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy; Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy; Mayor’s Water Strategy Transport London Plan; the Mayor’s Transport Strategy; PPG13; Land for Transport Functions SPG 16 For the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the development plan in force for the area is the 2012 Hillingdon Council Core Strategy and the 2011 London Plan. 17 The following are also relevant material considerations: The National Planning Policy Framework and Technical Guide to the National Planning Policy Framework The Revised Early Minor Alteration to the London Plan Green Belt and educational use 18 The National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 67) and the London Plan (policy 7.16) set out that only development associated with agriculture, forestry, outdoor sport and recreation is appropriate in the Green Belt.