Issue - meetings

All Members stated that they had been lobbied.

The Committee considered the report and the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development.  During his presentation, the Principal Planning Officer referred to correspondence which had been circulated earlier that day from the Head Teacher of Bower Grove School stating that the School would not enter into a formal agreement to share outdoor space, but there was potential for occasional use of its playing field.

Mr Skinner, for objectors, Mr Owen of the Save Fant Farm Group (against), Mr Fitzgerald, for the applicant, and Councillors Adkinson, Harper and Daley (Visiting Members) addressed the meeting.

Councillor Round read a statement on behalf of Councillor Boughton, Member of the Planning Committee and Ward Member, who was unable to be present at the meeting.

Contrary to the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Development, the Committee agreed to refuse permission.  In making this decision, Members felt that the proposed development, by virtue of the under-provision of hard outdoor PE and soft informal and social area play space as set out in BB103 (Area Guidelines for Mainstream Schools) would be harmful to the educational standards of future pupils in excess of a single form entry primary school.  As such the proposals would be contrary to paragraph 73 of the NPPF which seeks to secure access to high quality open space, and sport and recreation space.  The need for school places does not outweigh this harm.

Before the vote was taken, the Development Manager advised the Committee that the Guidelines referred to should be interpreted flexibly and he did not consider this reason to be defendable at appeal. The Development Manager then gave a costs warning on this basis.

RESOLVED:  That permission be refused for the following reason:

The proposed development, by virtue of the under-provision of hard outdoor PE and soft informal and social area play space as set out in BB103 (Area Guidelines for Mainstream Schools) would be harmful to the educational standards of future pupils in excess of a single form entry primary school.  As such the proposals would be contrary to paragraph 73 of the NPPF which seeks to secure access to high quality open space, and sport and recreation space.  The need for school places does not outweigh this harm.

Voting:  9 – For  3 – Against  1 – Abstention