Regulatory Committee 5

Page 1 – Proposed Primary School, Land to East Marsh Lane, Christchurch Agenda Item: Regulatory 5 Committee Date of Meeting 18 February 2016 Officer Head of Economy Subject of Report To consider planning application 8/15/0665 for a new single storey school with external play areas, sports pitches, games courts, habitat mitigation area and staff parking area; with new vehicle and pedestrian access formed between numbers 5 & 7 Marsh Lane together with traffic calming measures in Marsh Lane at land east of numbers 1 to 21, 39, 63 & 65 (odd) Marsh Lane, Christchurch, Dorset. Executive Summary The proposal is for the erection of a new two-form entry primary school to meet the educational needs of West Christchurch. A large number of representations have been received both in support and in opposition to the application raising a wide range of issues. The site proposed for the school is in the designated South East Dorset Green Belt and the proposal is for inappropriate development that would result in substantial harm to the Green Belt, with a significant loss of undeveloped land and a minor adverse impact on the character and appearance of the river corridor landscape. Inappropriate development in the Green Belt should not be approved except in very special circumstances. It is considered that very special circumstances do exist that justify the granting of planning permission as a departure from the development plan. In particular, the identified educational need, the importance of ensuring that a sufficient choice of school places is available and the great weight to be given to the need to create, expand or alter schools along with the lack of suitable, available alternative sites or other practicable and viable options all weigh heavily in favour of granting planning permission and together amount to very special circumstances that clearly outweigh both the substantial harm to Green Belt and other harm and justify the Page 2 – Proposed Primary School, Land to East Marsh Lane, Christchurch granting of planning permission as a departure from the development plan. As the proposal is for inappropriate development in the Green Belt and provides for more than 1,000 sqm of floor space, should the Committee be minded to grant planning permission, the application would then be subject to consultation with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009. Impact Assessment: Equalities Impact Assessment: The report concerns the determination of an application for planning permission and not any changes to any new or existing policy with equality implications. Use of Evidence: The recommendation has been made after consideration of the application and supporting documents, the development plan, government policy and guidance, representations and all other material planning considerations as detailed in the main body of the report. Budget/Risk Assessment: No budget/risk assessment implications. Recommendation Subject to the application being referred for consultation with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in accordance with the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 8.2 of the report. Reason for The reasons for granting planning permission are Recommendation summarised in paragraphs 6.122-6.130 of the report. Appendices 1. School Locations and Catchment Areas. 2. Site Location. 3. General Site Arrangement. 4. Alternate Site Access Arrangements. 5. Proposed Traffic Management Measures (on site). 6. Proposed Traffic Management Measure (off site). 7. Example Proforma Letter of Objection. 8. Example Proforma Letter of Support. 9. Location of Alternative Sites Considered. 10. Habitats Regulations Assessment. Background Papers Planning Application File 8/15/0665 Report Originator Name: Mr Huw Williams and Contact Tel: (01305) 228264 Email: [email protected] Page 3 – Proposed Primary School, Land to East Marsh Lane, Christchurch 1. Background 1.1 Planning permission is sought for the erection of a new two-form entry primary school i.e. 420 pupils with 60 children per year group between the ages of 4 and 11 (Reception to Year 6) to meet the educational needs of West Christchurch and more particularly the areas of St Catherine’s Hill, Jumpers Common and Fairmile. These areas are presently served by the Christchurch Infant and Junior Schools (four-form entry), The Priory Church of England Primary School (single-form entry) and a temporary ‘school-within-a- school’ (SWS) arrangement accommodated at the Twynham School campus. 1.2 The new school would share the same catchment area as the existing Christchurch Infant and Junior Schools. 1.3 The location of the application site relative to the existing primary schools and their associated catchment areas is illustrated at Appendix 1 of this report. 1.4 From September 2016, the Parkfield School, an all-age (4-18) co-educational free school will operate from the former National Air Traffic Control Training Centre (NATS) adjacent to Bournemouth Airport in the northern section of the catchment area with a planned admissions number (PAN) of 56 pupils per year group. The Parkfield School aims to bring quality alternative education to the children of Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. 1.5 The application indicates that an immediate need exists for an additional single-form entry school to replace the SWS with further predicted need associated with ongoing population change (inward migration of families with children and rising birth rates) and planned development. 1.6 In April 2015, the last reception place at the Christchurch Infant School was allocated to a child living 0.558 miles from the school, with the result that 38 children living within the school’s catchment area north of that point did not receive an offer of a place at their preferred school. A number of children were also unsuccessful in gaining places at the next two closest schools (The Priory and Mudeford Infant), with the nearest available places being at Somerford Primary and Burton Primary (3.7 miles and 4.9 miles away respectively). 1.7 To address the identified educational need it is proposed that a new school be developed on land to the east of the predominantly residential area of Fairmile. It is intended that the proposed school would be occupied initially by those children attending the school-within-a-school. By September 2016, the SWS will consist of up to 30 children in each of the Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 classes. The school roll would then grow gradually with phased expansion to 420 pupils. 1.8 The application has been submitted by Dorset County Council. Under Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992, applications by the County Council for development by the County Council fall to be determined by the County Council unless the application is referred for determination by the Secretary of State. Page 4 – Proposed Primary School, Land to East Marsh Lane, Christchurch 1.9 The proposal is for inappropriate development in the Green Belt and provides for more than 1,000 sqm of floor space. Accordingly, should the Committee be minded to grant planning permission, the application would then be subject to consultation with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009. The recommendation set out in paragraph 8.1 below reflects this requirement. 2. Site Description 2.1 The location and extent of the application site are illustrated at Appendix 2 of this report. The site includes a strip of land between Nos. 5 and 7 Marsh Lane (the proposed school access point), an area of undeveloped land to the east of Marsh Lane (the main site area where the school building and associated facilities are proposed) and highway land along Marsh Lane, Suffolk Avenue, Walcott Avenue and Flambard Avenue, where a number traffic management measures are proposed as part of the application. In total, the application site extends to approximately 2.92 hectares, with the main site area measuring approximately 2.6 hectares. 2.2 Residential properties along Marsh Lane are separated from the main site area by the route of the former Ringwood-Christchurch railway line which defines the boundary of the South East Dorset Green Belt. Accordingly, the main site area is located entirely within the designated Green Belt. The residential properties along Marsh Lane are mostly single storey, with some two storey development. 2.3 The main site area is predominantly improved and semi-improved grassland used as grazing land and is split into two plateau areas: the lower plateau in the west and south of the site is the product of historic gravel extraction and is essentially flat at an average level of approximately 5.3 metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), but is enclosed on three sides by embankments that support some bramble, gorse and trees; the larger upper plateau in the north and east of site slopes gently from a level of approximately 7.5 metres AOD at its western edge to a level of approximately 5.3 metres AOD at its eastern boundary. 2.4 Field boundaries within and around the site are formed by a mixture of fencing, trees and hedging. Vegetation alongside the former railway line provides some screening for the residential properties along Marsh Lane. 2.5 To the north of the site is a belt of woodland and adjacent marshy, agricultural land (Coward’s Marsh). This area is registered common land (part of the Town Common). 2.6 To the east of the site are concrete lined, linear water filtration tanks that form part of the extensive Knapp Mill Water Treatment Works operated by Bournemouth Water. Beyond the filtration tanks is low-lying agricultural land and the meandering River Avon (circa 200 metres from the main site area).

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