Report Title PRENDERGAST HILLY FIELDS, ADELAIDE AVENUE SE4 1LE Ward Ladywell Contributors Jan Mondrzejewski Class PART 1 Date: 10 OCTOBER 2012
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Committee PLANNING COMMITTEE (A) Report Title PRENDERGAST HILLY FIELDS, ADELAIDE AVENUE SE4 1LE Ward Ladywell Contributors Jan Mondrzejewski Class PART 1 Date: 10 OCTOBER 2012 Reg. Nos. DC/11/78890 Application dated 23 November 2011 Applicant Lewisham Schools for the Future of Education Partnership Ltd Proposal The variation of Condition (1) of the planning permission (DC/10/74021) dated 8 July 2010 for the construction of a two storey temporary building at Prendergast, Hilly Fields, Adelaide Avenue SE4 to provide additional classrooms and staff accommodation in order to allow the temporary building to remain on site until 31 December 2013 instead of 31 July 2012. Applicant’s Plan Nos. Covering letter dated 23/11/11, CD & site location plan. Background Papers (1) Case File LE/110/E/TP (2) The London Plan (3) Core Strategy (4) Brockley Conservation Area Character appraisal and SPD (5) Adopted Unitary Development Plan (July 2004) Designation Adopted Core Strategy – Existing Use 1.0 Property/Site Description 1.1 The application site is located in Hilly Fields Park, adjacent to Prendergast, Hilly Fields School. 1.2 The park is shown on the UDP Proposals Map as Public Open Space and Site of Nature Conservation Importance. It is also located within the Brockley Conservation Area. Prendergast School is partly located in premises in the park surrounded by open space and partly in modern accommodation in nearby Adelaide Avenue, just outside the boundary of the Conservation Area. The school building in the Park was designated a listed building in 1992 (Grade II). Originally built in 1884/5 as the West Kent Grammar School and extended in 1914-18 and 1921 as Brockley County Secondary School. The interior contains murals of the 1930s which are regarded as 'some of the most important achievements of 20th Century mural painting' (English Heritage List Description). Prendergast School moved to the site from their original premises in Catford in the 1990s. 1.3 Hilly Fields Park was farmland up until the 1890s when it was purchased by public subscription for the formation of a public open space. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford (formed in 1899) took over responsibility for the Park and this in turn transferred to the London Borough of Lewisham in 1965 when the Metropolitan Boroughs of Lewisham and Deptford were amalgamated. The open space occupies an elevated area commanding good views of London and contains a large number of mature trees of significant amenity value. 1.4 The nearest residential properties to the application site are some 100 metres away in Eastern Road. 2.0 Planning History 2.1 In December 2004 planning permission and listed building consent was granted for the demolition of the lavatory block to the front of Prendergast School, Hilly Fields, and the construction of a two storey music school building. 2.2 In February 2007 planning permission and listed building consent was granted for the erection of replacement fencing and gates around approximately three quarters of the school site. This comprised replacing existing fences, which were a combination of wire mesh, chain link , wooden boards and concrete posts, with new bow top railings. The height approved was 1.8 metre high around the side of the site and 1.5 metres at the front. 2.3 Listed Building Consent was granted in December 2007 for the installation of replacement European prime oak flooring in the assembly hall of Prendergast School. 2.4 DC/10/74021 - In July 2010, planning permission was granted for the construction of a two storey temporary building in the park adjoining the Hilly Fields building, to provide additional classrooms and staff accommodation during the construction phase of the school. This permission was subject to two conditions. The first of these required the cessation of the use and the removal of the buildings by 31st July 2012 and the restoration of the land to its former condition in accordance with a scheme of work to be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.. The second condition required that all planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved scheme of work for reinstatement of the site shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the removal of the building and any trees or plants which within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased, shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the local planning authority has given written consent to any variation. 2.5 In September 2010, planning permission was granted for major rebuilding of the school site in Adelaide Avenue and more limited refurbishment work of the grade II* listed Hilly Fields building. The works to the Adelaide Avenue site comprised for the demolition of the existing school buildings but with retention of and alterations to existing sports hall and construction of a two to four storey building with associated facilities. 2.6 The planning permission was subject to a Section 106 agreement requiring the payment of a sum of £10,000 for improvements to pedestrian links within Hilly Fields Park, 2.7 This application was also associated with an application for Listed Building Consent for refurbishment works to the Hilly Fields building and the demolition of an existing outbuilding at the Park site. 3.0 Current Planning Application 3.1 The current application is for the variation of Condition (1) of the planning permission (DC/10/74021) dated 8 July 2010 for the construction of a two storey temporary building at Prendergast, Hilly Fields, Adelaide Avenue SE4 to provide additional classrooms and staff accommodation, in order to allow the temporary building to remain on site until 31 December 2013 instead of 31 July 2012. 3.2 In a supporting letter, the school suggests that the original application under- estimated the time needed to get the newly rebuilt school up and running. They state that the extension to the time period is necessary to allow the school to teach all its young people and to deliver the National Curriculum. 3.3 The applicant, which is a Local Education Partnership have indicated that they would be willing to increase the Section 106 Payment already made to cover disruption to the park by an amount of up to £10,000.00. 4.0 Consultation 4.1 This section outlines the consultation carried out by the Council following the submission of the application and summarises the responses received. The Council’s consultation exceeded the minimum statutory requirements and those required by the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement. 4.2 Site notices were displayed and letters were sent to residents in the surrounding area and the relevant ward Councillors were consulted. Written Responses received from Local Residents and Organisations The Brockley Society 4.3 The Society object to the application for the following reasons:- 1) The Society is concerned that the temporary buildings may become a permanent feature of the park by repeated renewals of temporary planning permission. 2) The Society consider that most of the £10,000.00 Section 106 payment for improvements to the park are likely to go on access road improvements which benefit the school rather than Park users. 3) The Society therefore request that the extension of the temporary period be conditional on a further payment to mitigate the harm caused by the development. This could pay for other much needed improvements to the park which benefit the wider community as well as the school. It is suggested that a priority should be repairs to the stone circle which was damaged last year. The Hilly Fields User Group 4.4 The User Group object to the application for the following reasons:- (1) The loss of part of the park for a further 18 months represents a real loss of amenity to local residents. (2) The temporary buildings could also be subject to repeated requests for extension of the time limits. (3) The proposal should therefore only be granted planning permission if (a) a mechanism is in place to dismantle the buildings by Christmas 2013 and the Section 106 contribution previously agreed is increased by an additional £10,000.00 to compensate local residents for the loss of part of the park and produce a real gain in amenity for park users. (4) The User Group is keen to secure the restoration of the stone circle which is an amenity which has educational value and which is much frequented by students at the school. (5) The User Group has obtained estimates for the supply of Scottish grey granite, which when carved and fixed in place would cost in the region of £8,000.00. (6) Subject to the offer of a Section 106 payment of £10,000.00 the User Group would not require a local meeting prior to officers reporting the matter to the Planning Committee for decision. Local Residents 4.5 Two replies received from the occupiers of No 117 Tressillian Rd and No 19 Eastern Rd, objecting to the application for the following reasons:- (1) Public park land should always be rigorously protected against any encroachment by buildings. (2) The applicant has failed to repair ongoing damage to the park. (3) Permission should only be granted subject to an enforceable guarantee that the site will be completely vacated by the revised date. (4) Permission should only be granted subject to proportional compensation to be paid for the sole use and benefit of Hillyfields Park as directed by (i) preferably the User Group or (ii) the Parks Dept, provided that this forms an addition to its overall budget rather than a substitution within.