Knockroon Learning Campus
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EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE: 26 MAY 2017 17/0019/PP: KNOCKROON LEARNING AND ENTERPRISE CAMPUS (APPROXIMATELY 23,000 SQ. METRES GROSS INTERNAL FLOOR AREA), INCORPORATING NURSERY, ADDITIONAL SPECIAL NEEDS, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR AROUND 2500 PUPILS; COMMUNITY FACILITIES, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPORTS PITCHES AND FACILITIES, PLANT, RENEWABLE ENERGY (INCORPORATING BIOMASS BOILER) AND UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC REALM, DRAINAGE AND SUDS, LANDSCAPING, BOUNDARY TREATMENTS AND SECURITY, OPEN SPACE, REMODELLED FOOTBRIDGE, ACCESS, PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF, CAR PARKING, WAYFINDING AND SIGNAGE, EXTERNAL LIGHTING INCLUDING FLOODLIGHTING AND DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES AT BROOMFIELD SPORTS GROUND, AUCHINLECK ROAD, CUMNOCK, EAST AYRSHIRE BY EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Head of Planning and Economic Development, Economy and Skills Click for application details: http://eplanning.east- ayrshire.gov.uk/online/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OJQ3JCGF01B00 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHEET PURPOSE OF REPORT 1. The purpose of this report is to present for determination an application for planning permission, to be considered by the Planning Committee under the current scheme of delegation as it is a Major Development as defined by the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. This application has been considered against the Development Plan policies and is not considered to be significantly contrary to the Development Plan. The appropriate route for a decision on this application is therefore consideration and determination by the Planning Committee as detailed within the Scheme of Delegation. RECOMMENDATION 2. It is recommended that the application be approved subject to the conditions listed on the attached sheet at Appendix 1 of this report. CONTRARY DECISION NOTE 3. Should the Committee agree that the application be refused contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Economic Development the application will not require to be referred to the Council because that would not represent a significant departure from the development plan. Michael Keane Head of Planning and Economic Development Note: This document combine’s key sections of the associated report for quick reference and should not in itself be considered as having been the basis for recommendation preparation or decision making by the Planning Authority. EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE: 26 MAY 2017 17/0019/PP: KNOCKROON LEARNING AND ENTERPRISE CAMPUS (APPROXIMATELY 23,000 SQ. METRES GROSS INTERNAL FLOOR AREA), INCORPORATING NURSERY, ADDITIONAL SPECIAL NEEDS, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR AROUND 2500 PUPILS; COMMUNITY FACILITIES, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPORTS PITCHES AND FACILITIES, PLANT, RENEWABLE ENERGY (INCORPORATING BIOMASS BOILER) AND UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC REALM, DRAINAGE AND SUDS, LANDSCAPING, BOUNDARY TREATMENTS AND SECURITY, OPEN SPACE, REMODELLED FOOTBRIDGE, ACCESS, PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF, CAR PARKING, WAYFINDING AND SIGNAGE, EXTERNAL LIGHTING INCLUDING FLOODLIGHTING AND DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES AT BROOMFIELD SPORTS GROUND, AUCHINLECK ROAD, CUMNOCK, EAST AYRSHIRE BY EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Head of Planning and Economic Development, Economy and Skills PURPOSE OF REPORT 1. The purpose of this report is to present for determination an application for planning permission, to be considered by the Planning Committee under the current scheme of delegation as it is a Major Development as defined by the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. 2. This application has been considered against the Development Plan policies and is not considered to be significantly contrary to the Development Plan. The appropriate route for a decision on this application is therefore consideration and determination by the Planning Committee as detailed within the Scheme of Delegation. APPLICATION DETAILS Site Description 3. The application total site area covers 19.8 Hectares, This can be subdivided into three distinct components; Broomfield Park comprising of parkland, playing fields, running track and sports pavilion, Underwood Depot and Cumnock Academy. The site is subdivided by the Lugar Water which separates Broomfield Park and Underwood Depot to the North and Cumnock Academy to the south. The setting is urban fringe and is wholly contained within the defined settlement boundary of the town of Cumnock. 4. Broomfield Park – comprising the principle body of the site in which the main built component of the proposal is to be located. This area is characterised by tree fringed, tiered parkland falling towards the Lugar Water. The tiered nature of this area can in turn be separated into three elements, upper, middle and lower plateaus. 5. The upper plateau, to the northern and eastern sides of the parkland, is comprised of 4 no. grass sports pitches, one of which is encircled by a 4-lane running track. This latter pitch and running track is floodlit and is situated adjacent and to the south west of the recent housing development of Terringzean View. The southern edge of the site is bounded by the junction with Underwood Road leading onto the B7083 (Auchinleck Road), the housing development of Terringzean View, Visions Leisure Centre and Cumnock Rugby Football Club (CRFC) which occupies the B Listed Broomfield House. Broomfield sports pavilion is centrally located and is situated to the west of the running track bounding the change in levels between upper and central plateaus. To the north is Underwood Road, on which is situated a single housing unit comprising of two semi-detached cottages. Underwood Road leads to the Scottish Water waste water treatment works and the EAC Transportation Underwood Depot. The demarcation between upper and median plateaus is marked by an obvious change in levels which is fringed with mature trees. 6. The central plateau is situated to the south west and is utilised by 3 no. formal grass sports pitches. The lower plateau is situated to the south east corner on the north bank of the Lugar Water, is grassed and again fringed by mature trees. The general aspect across Broomfield is of open parkland laid out for sports provision, with the landform falling in a generally south westerly direction interspersed and fringed by, mature trees. 7. A pedestrian bridge crossing the Lugar Water links the Broomfield Park area to the Cumnock Academy site to the south. This bridge has a width of 1.6m with steel parapet railings. To the west of the entirety of the site, on either bank of the Lugar Water, is the policies of the A- Listed Dumfries House, these policies are recorded on the Inventory of Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes. 8. Cumnock Academy – located to the south and across the Lugar Water from Broomfield. The main body of the existing school dates from the late 1960’s with later extensions in the early 1970’s. The inter-connected blocks are generally orientated around a central mass of buildings set around an open internal courtyard with allied subsidiary wings and adjuncts. The blocks range from single to three storeys in height. There is associated car parking, circulation space and a half sized synthetic sports pitch. The general aspect of the school site is of a mass of brick built, generally flat roofed interrelated buildings characteristic of such buildings of the time. 9. Adjacent and to the east of the Cumnock Academy site is a residential property, (previously tied to the school as a former Janitor’s house, although now privately owned), the Riverside Adult Training Centre and Thistle Business Park. To the west is the mature plantation woodland and Bankend Lodge, a private residence and within the area of the designed landscape as previously noted. There is a housing development to the south west comprising Harperbank Grove, a cul-de- sac accessed from the A70 (Ayr Road), with The Cumnock Academy access with the A70 adjacent. Opposite the school access is situated the former Stagecoach bus depot which has recently been subject to purchase by East Ayrshire Council with the intention of redeploying the EAC transportation depot from the Underwood Depot to this site. East Ayrshire Community Hospital is situated to the West of the former Bus Depot with other business and industrial uses to the south and south west of the former Bus Depot. Proposed Development 10. Planning permission is sought for the erection of a new learning and enterprise campus merging several schools and educational facilities within the Cumnock and Auchinleck area. Merging secondary school provision, incorporating Auchinleck Academy and Cumnock Academy plus a Supported Learning Centre. Merging primary school education incorporating Greenmill Primary School and Early Childhood Centre and Barshare Primary School, Supported Learning Centre and Early Childhood Centre. Incorporation of Hillside Additional Support Needs School. 11. The projected school roll is approximately 2500 pupils in total with a staffing allocation of circa. 300. The new school will be constructed within the northern portion of the site (Broomfield Park) on the upper plateau of the landform. The linear sweep of the design is a reflection of the landform, with the pronounced change in levels between the upper and median plateau of Broomfield forming the southerly edge of the main campus buildings. This allows Cumnock Academy to remain in use until the new facility is ready for occupation. 12. The new campus will primarily