03 Nbb/18Cc012
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Item 3 Regulatory Committee – 4 December 2018 Demolition of existing single storey structure and replacement with new single storey modular teaching unit, Exhall Grange School & Science College, Easter Way, Coventry, CV7 9HP. NBB/18CC012 Application No.: NBB/18CC012 Advertised date: 28 September 2018 Applicant(s) Mr Steve Smith - Head of Property Services, Warwickshire County Council Shire Hall Market Square Warwick Warwickshire CV34 4SA Agent(s) Mr Keith Hemmings Ashby Croft Limited Unit 2 Gresham Road Bermuda Industrial Estate Nuneaton CV10 7GR Registered by: The Strategic Director for Communities on 14 September 2018 Proposal: Demolition of existing single storey structure and replacement with new single storey modular teaching unit. Site & location: Exhall Grange School & Science College, Easter Way, Coventry, CV7 9HP. [Grid ref: 433424.284152]. See plan in Appendix A 1 of 16 03 Exhall Grange School - Regulatory Committee 04.12.2018 Recommendation That the Regulatory Committee authorises the grant of planning permission for demolition of existing single storey structure and replacement with new single storey modular teaching unit at Exhall Grange School subject to the conditions and for the reasons contained within Appendix B of the report of the Strategic Director for Communities. 1. Application details 1.1 The proposal is for the demolition of the existing single storey, timber clad building that is currently used as a store and facility for caretaker staff at the school. 1.2 The replacement building is a single storey modular building 9 metres by 19.5 metres with a 5 metre high slate pitched roof to the same height as the existing building. The proposed internal floor area would be 155 m2 replacing the existing internal area of 110 m2 representing a 49% increase in floor area. The unit would be timber clad using treated cedar. The windows and doors would be double glazed powder coated aluminium units coloured Anthracite grey. 1.3 The building provides a classroom; recreation area; three 1 to 1 teaching spaces, a music/breakout area; office and entrance lobby. The building is served by an access ramp on both the north-west and the south-east elevation. The main entrance to the building is on the north-western side of the building. 1.4 Internally all doors have a minimum 810mm clear opening to allow access for wheelchairs. The corridors internally are designed with a width of 1500mm to allow ease of turning for wheelchairs. 1.5 There are outward opening doors to individual rooms within the building operated by key to allow staff access if the internal door to any room is blocked. 1.6 The proposed facility would be used by 6 additional pupils to the school. These pupils currently attend St Edward’s School in Coleshill. A total of 7 additional part-time staff would be employed at Exhall Grange School as a result of the proposed development. 2. Consultation 2.1 Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council – Planning: No objection. 2.2 Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council – Environmental Health: No comments received. 2.3 Councillor Pete Gilbert: No comments received as of 22 November 2018 2 of 16 03 Exhall Grange School - Regulatory Committee 04.12.2018 2.4 WCC Fire & Rescue Service: No objection. 2.5 WCC Highways: No objection. Demolition and construction vehicles will not be required to load and unload from the public highway, but space inside the site for vehicles to turn around should be provided as the distance from the site to the public highway is too far to reverse. A condition is recommended to ensure a vehicle turning area is provided within the school site. 2.6 WCC Archaeology: No comment to make as the proposal is not considered to have a significant impact on the historic environment. 2.7 WCC Ecology: Initial response stated that a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) and an initial bat survey would be required prior to determination. On receipt of the PEA it was recommended that an external bat endoscoping survey of the wooden building prior to the demolition should be undertaken, to be required by condition. In addition conditions requiring the submission and approval of a Construction and Environmental Management Plan and a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan are recommended. 2.2 2 site notices posted – 28 September 2018 2.3 8 nearest residential properties individually notified on 28 September 2018 3. Representations 3.1 One email received from a neighbouring resident stated that while not objecting to the application would like the Council to consider their concerns: • the replacement building would be almost 50% larger than the existing building, with the same ridge height. It would be better to have a flat roof. • The music/breakout room has a door directly opposite the garden of a neighbouring property in Carsal Close and will create noise particularly in the summer through open doors/windows. • Storm drainage is not indicated on the plans. If a soakaway is to be located towards the Carsal Close side note that the gardens in Carsal Close are at a much lower level than the building and do get flooded at times. There is almost 50%more roof that will produce more rainwater than at present. • The building is currently hardly used and not after 5pm. The proposed building will be used long into the evening creating light pollution in the winter months particularly as the south-east elevation has a larger glazed area than the north-east. 3 of 16 03 Exhall Grange School - Regulatory Committee 04.12.2018 • The residents of Carsal Close are all pensioners so disruption and change of any kind can cause unnecessary stress. 4. Previous Planning History 4.1 Planning permissions have been granted for a variety of works at the Exhall Grange site including the construction of a sports facility in 1997 (N/97/CC007); an internal access road in 2000 (N/00/CC059); construction of a car park in 2001 (N/01/CC025); a sport hall facility was approved in 2003 (N/03/CC007); security fencing erected in 2004 and 2005 (N/03/CC045 & N/05/CC001) and the height of the gym block was increased in 2007 (N/07/CC022). 5. Assessment and Observations Location 5.1 Exhall Grange School is a community maintained specialist school which meets the needs of children and young people aged between 2 and 19 years with visual impairment, physical disabilities, complex medical needs and social and communication interaction difficulties. The school is located to the north of Coventry; west of the Ricoh Arena and east of Prologis Park. The school site is located on Easter Way and accessed from Winding House Lane to the south. 5.2 The school occupies a large site with open land to the north-west and south including the Grange Farm local wildlife site. Land to the south- east of the school is predominantly residential. To the east and north- east of the Exhall Grange site are the grounds of Wheelwright Lane Primary and Nursery School and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) Pears Centre for Specialist Learning. The car park serving the school site is located to the south of the main school buildings. 5.3 The site of the proposed replacement building is at the south-eastern most point of the complex of buildings on the school site. The timber clad building has previously been used as caretaker accommodation and is currently used as a store and maintenance depot for the school. A hardstanding area to the north of the building is used for parking of school vehicles. 5.4 The closest neighbouring residential properties are bungalows in Carsal Close to the east of the existing building. The ground levels fall across the application site with the existing building being at a higher ground level than the residential single storey dwellings to the east. 5.5 A large mature oak tree is positioned to the south-west of the existing timber clad building. 4 of 16 03 Exhall Grange School - Regulatory Committee 04.12.2018 Need 5.6 The proposed modular building is required to provide a focused education for a limited number of pupils with special needs often on a one to one basis. There are currently 6 pupils attending St Edward’s School in Coleshill that would be re-located to the Exhall Grange School site to use the proposed facility. There would be a requirement for 7 additional part-time staff as a result of the development. Amenity Issues 5.7 The proposal is for the demolition of the existing timber clad building (8m x 13m) and the replacement with a modular building which would be some 5.5 m longer than the existing building. The use of timber cladding is considered to be appropriate to replace the existing building. A comment received from a neighbour suggests that it would be preferable to have a flat roof design rather than the slate pitched roof as proposed. However the proposed design is considered to be acceptable as the height of the proposed roof matches the height of the existing structure. In addition, use of slate tiles rather than the bitumen sheeting used for the existing building would result in a higher quality construction which is considered acceptable. 5.8 The rear gardens of the bungalows in Carsal Close are approximately 7 metres in length with the rear boundaries marked by hedges. There is a distance of some 22 metres between the rear elevation of the closest bungalow and the rear of the existing school building. The ground level slopes across the application site with the neighbouring dwellings at a lower ground level. The replacement building is to be of a similar height (5 metres) to the existing building and the footprint of the building in a similar location to the existing, although extending an additional 5 metres to the north-east.