8 week date Application No. Date of meeting Report No. 16/06/2011 GR/2011/0361 27/07/2011 GR/2011/0362 Gads Hill House School, Gravesend Road, Higham GR/2011/0361 - Application for minor material amendments to Listed Building Consent reference number 20070189 relating to the design of the proposed new junior and senior schools only. GR/2011/0362 - Application for minor material amendment to planning permission reference number 20070188 relating to the design of the proposed new junior and senior schools only. Gads Hill School Association Recommendation: Delegated to Service Manager, Development Control 1. Site Description Gads Hill Place is located on the southern side of Gravesend Road (A226) approximately 1km to the west of the Wainscot By-Pass (A289). The site comprises Gads Hill Place and its associated school buildings, including the Gardener’s Cottage, stables and coach house, which together with the gardens, playing fields and car park covers some 12 acres. The site is located at the junction of Crutches Lane with Gravesend Road with the main access to the school buildings being achieved from the car parking areas located to the rear of the building accessed from Crutches Lane. The site is located within the Green Belt. Gads Hill Place was built in 1779 by Thomas Stevens, a former Mayor of Rochester. The historic significance of the site is well documented and was occupied by Charles Dickens from 1857 until his death in 1870. Whilst living at the house many of his most important works were written there. Dickens also made significant changes to the building including the addition of the drawing room, conservatory and tunnel under the road and adding to its special architectural and historic interest. This later led to its Grade 1 listing in 1952. 2. Planning History 20070188 Demolition of existing school Permitted 09.07.201 hall and outbuildings and 0 erection of a part one and part two storey junior school and a three storey senior school including minor revisions to the previously considered floor plans and elevations facing Crutches Lane; conversion of the Mansion House (Old School Buildings) into a Dickens Visitor Centre involving the erection of a glazed entrance link, erection of maintenance shed and laying out of a service yard, formation of car port and coach park, improvements to Crutches Lane/Gravesend Road junction and improvements to existing vehicular access to the school along Crutches Lane. 20070189 Application for Listed Building Permitted 02.08.201 Consent for the demolition of 0 existing school hall and outbuildings and erection of a part one and part two storey junior school and a three storey senior school; internal and external alterations in connection with the conversion of the mansion house (old school building) into a Dicken's Visitor's Centre involving new glazed entrance link and replacement of some windows; erection of a maintenance shed; laying out of service yard and formation of car and coach park. 20090076 Retention of the single storey Permitted 10.03.200 building (Hewlett Pavilion) to the 9 south of the walled kitchen garden to provide five classrooms, offices and storerooms for a temporary period. 20100459 Siting of a portacabin for a Granted Temporary 19.07.201 temporary period of three years. Permission 0 19520063 Erection of classroom Application 24.05.195 Withdrawn 2 20110363 Siting of a portacabin to provide Granted Temporary 08.07.201 additional classroom facilities for Permission 1 a temporary period of three years. 20110405 Application for approval of Pending conditions 7-10, 12 and 15 Consideration attached to planning permission reference number 20070188 relating to the vehicular access, highway improvements, boundary and surface treatments, surface water drainage and external lighting to access and car parking areas, landscaping scheme and surface water disposal. 20110404 Application for the approval of Pending condition 5 attached to Listed Consideration Building Consent reference number 20070189 relating to the boundary and surface treatments. 20110541 Application for non-material Pending amendment to planning Consideration permission reference number 20070188 to allow a start to be made on site to vehicle access, parking and turning areas in advance of other pre- commencement conditions. 20110545 Application for approval of Application Invalid condition 3 attached to Listed On Receipt Building Consent reference number 20070189 relating to the details and samples to be used in the construction of the building. 20110549 Application for approval of Application Invalid conditions 3, 14, 16 & 20 On Receipt attached to planning permission reference number 20070188 relating to details and samples of external materials, contaminated land assessment, assessment of impact on adjacent residential area with respect to noise and the archaeological watching brief. 20020600 Application for Listed Building Permitted 20.09.200 Consent for repairs & partial re- 2 building of garden wall involving erection of new buttresses. 20060385 Renewal of temporary planning Permitted 03.07.200 permission reference number 6 GR/2003/276 for erection of a single storey building to the south of the walled kitchen garden to provide five classrooms, offices and storerooms for a temporary period. 20050444 Application for renewal of Permitted 10.08.200 temporary planning permission 5 reference number GR/2002/366 for the siting of a temporary classroom. 20030276 Erection of a single storey Permitted 20.10.200 building to the south of the 3 walled kitchen garden to provide five classrooms, offices and store rooms for a temporary period. 20020366 Siting of a temporary classroom. Permitted 12.07.200 2 3. Proposal Planning permission and Listed Building Consent were granted in 2010 for demolition of existing school hall and outbuildings and erection of a part one and part two storey junior school and a three storey senior school including minor revisions to the previously consider floor plans and elevations facing Crutches Lane; conversion of the Mansion House (Old School Buildings) into a Dickens Visitors Centre involving the erection of a glazed entrance link, erection of maintenance shed and laying out of a service yard, formation of car port and coach park, improvements to Crutches Lane/Gravesend Road junction and improvements to existing vehicular access to the school along Crutches Lane under reference Nos. GR/2007/0188 and GR/2007/0189. The ‘Minor Material Amendment’ applications propose a number of amendments to the approved scheme in relation to the design of the new junior and senior schools only. The applicant has identified fifty such changes, twenty three for the junior school and twenty seven for the senior school. The schedule listing the amendments can be found in the attached appendix 1. However it should be noted that there are more than fifty amendments as other changes have been identified on the plans which are not included in the applicant’s schedule. 4. Development Plan The Development Plan comprises:- • The Regional Spatial Strategy, South East Plan (2009) • The Gravesham Local Plan First Review (1994) • Saved Policies of the Local Plan First Review (1994) There are a number of other un-adopted planning documents (e.g. The Gravesham Local Plan Second Review) which are of some relevance and are a material consideration, together with national planning advice and guidance (PPG’s/PPS’s) and the emerging policies in the Local Development Framework. Local Planning Guidance Gravesham Local Plan First Review The Gravesham Local Plan First Review was adopted in November 1994. It will continue to have effect as the development plan pending the preparation of the Local Development Framework (LDF). A substantial number of policies of the Gravesham Local Plan First Review have been saved by a Direction dated 25 September 2007 of the Secretary of State under paragraph 1 (3) of Schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The following policies are relevant: • GB1: Green Belt Definition • GB2: Development in the Green Belt • TC0: Townscape and Design • TC1: Protecting Townscape • TC2: Listed Buildings • C1: Areas of Special Significance for Agriculture • C5: Areas of Local Landscape Significance Gravesham Local Plan Second Review Draft Deposit Version 2000 The draft Gravesham Local Plan Second Review Deposit Version 2000 (Draft Local Plan Second Review) has been adopted by the Borough Council for development control purposes but in view of the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and the decision by the Borough Council to replace the Local Plan with the Local Development Framework it is not being progressed any further. The policies in the plan are therefore of only limited weight. The following other policies are relevant. • BE1: Townscape, Conservation and Design • BE7: Statutorily Listed Buildings • BE12 – Design of New Development • NE3: Areas of Local Landscape Importance • RA1: Green Belt Boundary • RA2: Control of Development in the Green Belt Local Development Framework A draft Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document (Regulation 25 document – Issues and Options) was considered by the Council’s Cabinet in December 2009 who approved the document for the purposes of public consultation. The most relevant core strategy policies are, Core Strategy Policy 3: Rural Area Core Strategy Policy 5: Design and Development Principles Core Strategy Policy 8: Heritage and the Historic Environment The most relevant development management