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ITEM PN8
PLANNING & REGULATION COMMITTEE – 18 MAY 2009
ERECTION OF SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION (WITH COVERED WALKWAY) TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM, ENTRANCE LOBBY AND OTHER STAFF AND PUPIL ACCOMMODATION; CREATION OF COVERED PLAY AREA AND OTHER EXTERNAL WORKS INCLUDING RELOCATION OF EXISTING AIR FILTRATION UNIT AT ST EBBES CE PRIMARY SCHOOL, WHITEHOUSE ROAD, OXFORD
Application No: R3/0097/09
District Council Area: Oxford City
Introduction
1. This application is for the construction of a single storey classroom extension at this school to cater for Rising 5 year olds for the first time. The existing school accommodation is not large enough to take these additional numbers and so extra accommodation is required. The new extension would allow for an extra 20 pupils and accommodation for 2 more staff members.
2. The application has been brought to this Committee for determination as, although there have been no objections to the principle or design of the new accommodation, objections have been received from a number of local residents over the proposed contractor’s access to the site.
Location (Plan - download as .doc file)
3. St Ebbe’s Primary School is located at the northern end of White House Road, Oxford about 800 m south of the City Centre. The River Thames (Isis) passes about 150 m to the north and immediately opposite the school to the west is the Grandpont car park used by Oxfordshire County Council staff.
4. The main entrance for the school is from White House Road. To the south and west of Whitehouse Road are the Grandpont Nature Reserve and play area.
5. Private housing abuts the school to the south and east and there is student accommodation immediately to the north. Properties on Marlborough Road back onto the school site to the east. There is a second, pedestrian access to the school from Marlborough Road.
Details of Development
6. The new extension is to be built in the gap between the existing school buildings and the school’s southern boundary. There are a number of trees and a hedge along this southern boundary which should not be affected by this development.
7. The design of the new extension includes a classroom, store, WC and entrance lobby/coat and boot store. It is to be built with a simple pitch roof form to match a previous extension on the school. The entrance lobby element is designed as a curved, rendered feature to act as a ‘full stop’ to the school at this southern end. The render on the lobby would be coloured red to match the school’s main entrance and parts of earlier extensions. A mono pitch roofed structure would act as a covered external play area and link with the existing school. Timber columns and facing brick would match various other structural elements on the existing school buildings.
8. An existing air monitoring station (located inside a small box-like structure) is to be relocated to the south east corner of the school site. The equipment is used by the City Council to monitor air quality in the city.
9. There is a secondary pedestrian access to the rear of the school site from Marlborough Road. This access will be unaffected by the completed proposals but it is to be used as the contractor’s access whilst construction work takes place.
Relevant Planning Policies
10. Oxfordshire Structure Plan
Policy G2 – All development to be of a scale and type appropriate to the site and surroundings and not cause harm to amenities of the area, incorporate high quality design and landscaping and be designed to reduce need for travel and encourage use of walking, cycling and public transport. Development with an unacceptable environmental impact will not be permitted.
Policy T8 – Development only permitted if it provides adequate access and mitigation of adverse transport impacts.
11. Oxford Local Plan 2016
Policy CP1 – Permission granted only for development of a high standard of design and landscaping and which is appropriate to the site and surroundings and which are acceptable regarding access, parking, highway safety, traffic generation, pedestrian and cycle movements.
Policy CP8 – All new and extended buildings should relate to their setting and protect local character.
CP19 – Development should not cause unacceptable nuisance, eg from noise, dust, fumes, vibration, light, etc unless adequate protection measures can be implemented.
Consultations/Representations (consultation period ran until 28 April 2009)
12. Oxford City Council – No response received.
13. Environment Agency – No objections.
14. County Ecologist – No problems from a biodiversity or landscape point of view. No surveys are required. If any trees/vegetation are to be removed, it should not be done during the bird nesting season.
15. Transport Development Control – It would appear that the use of Whitehouse Road by construction traffic is not really viable given the existing cycle parking and children’s play area, both of which would need to be removed to enable the contractor’s access.
No specific information has been provided on the number of vehicles generated by the construction work or how these vehicles can be accommodated on the public highway and within the site.
The use of the pedestrian access in the past for contractor’s vehicles has raised concerns by local residents and they have indicated that this proposal has the potential to raise similar concerns.
The Highway Authority has no objection to the use of this access by construction traffic but it must be satisfied that such usage will not be to the detriment of highway safety. The impact on residential amenity is a planning consideration. Strongly recommend that a condition be added to any consent that might be given requiring the submission of a construction travel plan prior to the start of any works on site. The travel plan should not only provide information on the number and type of vehicles associated with the construction phase but should also demonstrate that these vehicles can be accommodated within the site.
16. County Forrester – There are many well-established, young and early mature trees on and around this site. There are 4 trees that may be affected by the proposed works. Tree protection zones should be provided for all the trees as well as the boundary hedge during the period of construction. If any trees were to be lost as a result of this development, the loss of amenity would not be significant and there will be opportunities for replacement planting. New planting to the south and west of the dedicated play area will enhance the setting of the new building.
Third Party Representations
17. St Ebbe’s New Development Residents’ Association – No comment to make about the proposal.
18. Six responses on the proposal have been received from local residents. None of the residents have directly objected to the actual extension to the school, indeed a number have indicated support for the school and its desire to improve the accommodation for the children. However, they have all expressed objections/concerns (to a greater or lesser degree) on the use of the pedestrian access to the rear of the school as the contractor’s access. This access was used 3 years ago to construct a classroom extension at the school. The contractor at the time would appear to have managed the contract in a way which did cause disruption and nuisance to local residents. That contractor will not be involved in this particular development. The objections raised by the residents in their responses cover the following points:
· Marlborough Road is a narrow, quiet residential street unsuitable for large vehicles – Whitehouse Road is far wider with room to park and pass · the main school entrance into the school should be used where there is space to manoeuvre lorries · the footpath from Marlborough Road is narrow and unsuitable for larger vehicles · large vehicles passing over the footpath would damage houses either side (this happened the last time) · noise and dust from construction work on site and construction traffic travelling down Marlborough Road and the footpath · all future work at the school should be accessed via Whitehouse Road · security concerns if gate across footpath is left unlocked as this would give access to the rear of properties on Marlborough road · additional classroom will mean more children and noise from the school · concern about condition of some trees on site · concern about contractor’s working times and weekend working · loss of privacy · concern about loss of hedge.
Comments of the Head of Sustainable Development
19. The main issue of concern in relation to this proposal is the use of the footpath from Marlborough Road for contractor’s vehicles.
20. The project architect has been asked to look at an alternative access to the site from Whitehouse Road. However, access to the rear of the school from Whitehouse Road is blocked in the main by the existing school buildings. He has confirmed that the only part of the Whitehouse Road frontage which has not been built on with permanent accommodation lies to the south of the main school building and the southern boundary. However, this gap has now been filled with 5 cycle shelters (accommodating between 80-100 cycles) and a children’s play area behind them, with fixed play equipment. There is no alternative site for the relocation of the cycle shelters and the play area is used specifically by 5 year old children linked to their accommodation at this end of the school.
21. The gap between Nos 80 and 84 Marlborough Road through which the footpath runs is 4.5 m wide. The footpath comprises a line of paving slabs with grass verge either side. Marlborough Road is a quiet residential street with on-street parking. The movement of heavy vehicles down such a road would cause a degree of disruption, as indeed it would if any of the properties down the street were undergoing building improvements. Any building project may cause a certain amount of disruption in the local area whilst the project proceeds (in this case the contract is timed to run for up to 5 months). However, whilst appreciating the concerns raised by local people, I am of the view that the proposal can proceed provided a construction travel plan (as requested by Transport Development Control) is agreed before any work commences and is implemented for the duration of the building period. The plan would need to provide information on the number of vehicles using the site, the size and type of vehicle and must demonstrate how they are to be accommodated within the site.
22. To further protect the amenities of neighbouring residents, I recommend that conditions be attached to any consent given to restrict the contractor’s operating times to normal working hours Monday to Friday and Saturday morning only; restrict times for the delivery of materials to the site (to avoid the beginning and the end of the school day); to ensure that contractor’s private vehicles are parked on Whitehouse Road (and not Marlborough Road) and any damage caused by the contractor as a result of the use of the Marlborough Road footpath access is made good at the end of the contract (as was the case the last time this access was used).
23. Other issues raised by residents relate to trees and hedges on the site and possible loss of privacy as a result of the new development. The proposed extension will not have any windows in the south elevation facing towards the nearest properties in Salters Close. In addition a substantial hedge provides an excellent screen along this boundary. A condition is recommended to ensure this hedge is protected during the course of building works.
RECOMMENDATION
24. The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve Application No R3.0097/09 (for the erection of a single storey extension, with covered walkway, to provide classroom, entrance lobby and other accommodation plus the creation of a covered play area and other external works, etc) at St Ebbe’s CE School subject to conditions to be determined by the Head of Sustainable Development to cover the following:
(1) detailed compliance; (2) detailed duration – 3 years; (3) schedule of external materials to be agreed; (4) landscaping scheme to be agreed; (5) implement approved landscaping scheme; (6) tree and hedge protection during building works; (7) construction travel plan to be agreed before work commences on site and implemented for the duration of the work; (8) contractor’s working hours to be agreed; (9) times for delivery of materials to site to be agreed; (10) contractor’s staff parking to be on Whitehouse Road and not Marlborough Road; (11) any damage caused during the duration of building works as a result of the use of the footpath access into Marlborough Road to be made good at the end of the building contract; (12) provision of scooter parking (13) removal of any vegetation/tree work to be done outside bird nesting season.
CHRIS COUSINS Head of Sustainable Development Environment & Economy
Background Papers: File ref: R3.0097/09 held in Speedwell House, Oxford
May 2009
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