Contact Officer: John Hamilton, tel. 01865 815584
ITEM PN7
PLANNING & REGULATION COMMITTEE – 18 FEBRUARY 2008
INSTALLATION OF A SYNTHETIC GRASS SPORTS AND PLAY AREA
Report by Head of Sustainable Development
Location: Whitchurch Primary School, Eastfield Lane, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Nr Reading
Application No: S.12/07 District Council Area: South Oxfordshire
Introduction
1. This application seeks consent for the provision of a synthetic grass play area to replace the existing grassed area to the rear of Whitchurch Primary School in order to provide an all-weather play area for pupils during the wet (primarily winter) season.
Location
2. Whitchurch-on-Thames is located on the southern boundary of Oxfordshire, about 8 km to the west of Reading and across the River Thames from Pangbourne. The village is located within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Site and Setting
3. Whitchurch Primary School is located at the eastern end of Eastfield Lane, 500 metres from the High Street. The school is situated on the eastern edge of the village. Immediately to the north of the school site are allotments; there is a cricket ground to the west, a small group of properties immediately to the south and an ostrich farm to the east.
4. The proposed synthetic play area, which measures 44m x 20m, would be located on the existing grassed area immediately behind the existing school buildings. The grassed area is currently bounded by a hedge and a number of trees.
Details of the Development
5. The proposal is for the construction of an all weather play surface (44m x 20m) located to the rear of the existing school buildings. The specification for the pitch involves laying out hardcore to a depth of 100mm with 50mm of fine aggregate on top, and the artificial grass carpet laid out on top of that.
6. A letter has been submitted on behalf of the School Governors setting out some background to the proposal. This is reproduced below:
“Whitchurch Primary School now provides education for around 120 children – far more than in the past. Recent assessments by Ofsted and the LEA have rated the school as ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ elements.
In summer there is ample space for children to play in the school grounds. For two thirds of the year, however, grassed areas cannot be used, because it is too muddy. The result is that most children are largely confined to a tarmac netball court at break times. To avoid overcrowding and associated health and safety concerns, consideration has been given to staggering break times for different classes, but the Head and Teaching Staff have concluded that it is not feasible to do this. It would, in any case, detract from the culture of extensive interaction between age groups that is a way of life at the school.
The Teaching Staff have identified a priority for future development as being the installation of a synthetic play surface to give the children sufficient room to play throughout the year.
The application does not include the installation of any additional fencing or floodlighting.”
Consultations
7. South Oxfordshire District Council – No objections subject to any conditions that may be requested by the Environment Agency.
Whitchurch-on-Thames Parish Council – Objects, for the following reasons: (i) over-development of the school grounds and damaging to the character of this edge of village location; (ii) disruption caused by importation of materials along Eastfield Lane; (iii) ecological and conservation concerns. An ecological group has undertaken much planting and maintaining the pond in the school grounds to provide a pleasant environment for the children. This would be radically changed by this proposal; (iv) there would be some impact on water drainage in the area.
Sport England – Further to correspondence with the Head Teacher, Sport England is aware the area is currently and will be used for informal activities. Therefore, given the potential of the synthetic surface to enable increased use, Sport England does not wish to raise an objection.
Environment Agency (EA) – Original response was to object on the grounds that the school was located in Flood Zone 3 (a high risk flood area) and no Flood Risk Assessment had been submitted.
The school has carried out a flood risk assessment and submitted it to the EA; the EA has now withdrawn its objection to the application.
Chilterns Conservation Board – Does not wish to make any comments on this planning application. The Board limits its input on applications to those considered to be significant (either in scale or potential impact on the AONB) or which would set a dangerous precedent.
County Archaeologist – Proposal does not affect any known archaeological sites. Archaeological informative only required.
Transport Development Control – No objections but suggest a condition requiring that the existing school travel plan is updated.
County Ecologist – No objection from an ecological point of view. The existing grassed area has no significant botanical interest. There is evidence of badger setts within the school grounds but these would appear to be abandoned. There are other setts in the locality and it is suggested that someone checks the status of badgers in and around the school site.
Third Party Representations
8. Fourteen letters of objection have been received from local residents. Copies of the letters are available for inspection in the Members’ Resource Centre but the gist of the objections are as follows:
- Proposal would create a permanent, artificial structure which would detract from the character of the AONB. Inappropriate at the edge of the village and at present it is a haven for wildlife (badgers, birds, rabbit, insects etc). - Proposal would involve the slow urbanisation of a rural village school and is unnecessary. - Use of facility by community bodies would increase traffic and noise in the area on top of the existing ‘school run’ problems. - The school is in the floodplain and the proposal could lead to flooding in the area. A Flood Risk Assessment should be requested. - If increased numbers at the school are placing pressure on the existing play space, the school has the power to limit school numbers. Staggering play times might be a possible solution. - A large quantity of material will be required to construct the facility and will result in damage and disturbance to residents by large lorries visiting the site. - Parents have had little say in the provision of this facility; it is being pursued by a small group of governors. - Loss of the grassed area runs contrary to the concept of eco schools and grass is valuable in creative play and important to a child’s personal development. - Concern has been raised about the use of recycled tyres in the construction of the synthetic play surface and the possible pollution problems this may cause.
9. Three letters of support have been received to the proposal, in essence stating that the proposal will be a big improvement to the school’s facilities and that the decision to proceed with the development is one taken by the Governors with the full backing of the Head Teacher and staff.
Planning Policy Background
10. The most significant policy issues
in relation to this development relates to the AONB and flooding, though other
policy matters are pertinent. A full list of relevant policies is set out in Annex 1 (download as .doc file) attached to this report.
Comments of the Head of Sustainable Development
11. The main planning issues to be considered in relation to this proposal are:
· whether the development would have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); · whether the development would have an adverse impact on flooding and drainage in the local area; · whether the development would adversely affect wildlife species and habitats in the area; · whether the construction of the proposal would generate significant amounts of heavy traffic to the detriment of the amenities of local residents; and · whether the installation of the all weather play surface would cause pollution to ground water in the area.
AONB
12. The new facility is to be located immediately behind the existing school buildings. The school boundary to the rear is marked by hedgerows and the occasional tree. The new play area, measuring 44m x 20m, should not be seen from outside the site. It is my view therefore that the proposal would not have any adverse impact on the character or appearance of the AONB. The District Council has raised no concerns about the proposal on AONB grounds.
Flooding
13. The school is located within Zone 3 of the Environment Agency’s Flood Zone Map (giving a 1% annual probability of flooding). The Environment Agency’s initial response was to object to the application because the location of the development required the submission of a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and no such assessment had been submitted with the application. The school was advised that a FRA was required before their application could be determined. The school has now completed a FRA and this has been submitted to the Environment Agency which considers it acceptable, and so it has withdrawn its objection to the application.
Ecology
14. A number of residents have raised concerns that the removal of this grassed area and its replacement with an all weather surface would adversely affect the natural habitat of a number of species of wildlife. The County Ecologist has been consulted and has visited the site. He has discovered that there is a badger sett (probably an outlier to a main sett elsewhere in the area) in the north-west corner of the school site, close to the boundary with the allotments to the north. He has confirmed that the proposal should not affect the activity or presence of badgers in the locality, nor should it have any adverse impact on any other species of wildlife that may exist around the school.
Traffic generation
15. The proposal would involve the formation of a base of hardcore type material on which the all weather surface would be laid. The contractor for this project has confirmed that the material required to complete the works would involve 15 lorry loads of stone over a two week period (working Monday to Friday only). There may well be some inconvenience to residents during the two week period of construction of the play area but I do not consider the traffic generation proposed to be excessive. The times that lorry deliveries are made to the school to avoid any conflict with the beginning and the end of the school day could be covered by condition. There are no objections to the proposal from Transport Development Control.
Potential Pollution
16. One resident has raised concerns about the use of recycled rubber granules in the manufacture of the all weather ‘carpet’. She has referred to a report from the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate entitled ‘Synthetic turf from a chemical perspective’. The report looks into the use and installation of synthetic football pitches (it is limited to synthetic turf that contains granulate from recycled tyres) and concludes that such developments may give rise to local environmental risks through leakage of zinc and phenols into neighbouring water courses. The report has, however, only assessed football pitches; it has not assessed children’s play areas, horse riding surfaces or other sports activities, nor has it looked into the use of artificial surfaces that contain other materials such as new rubber, thermoplastics or rubber-coated sand. Both the contractor for the development, and the manufacturer of the artificial surface, have confirmed that recycled rubber granules are not used in the manufacture of the synthetic surface proposed – it is sand-filled synthetic grass. The contractor has confirmed that he recently completed a similar project, using the same materials, at SS Phillip and John Primary School in Oxford. The Environment Agency has not raised any concerns in relation to any impact on groundwater quality.
Conclusion
17. In conclusion in my view there will be no harm to the character of the AONB; the Environment Agency is satisfied that the development would not unacceptably increase flood risk; there will be no significant harm to biodiversity; no significant traffic generation for any prolonged period; nor risk of pollution from the synthetic surface.
RECOMMENDATIONS
18. It is RECOMMENDED that Application No. S.12/07 (for the installation of a synthetic grass sports and play area) be approved subject to conditions to be approved by the Head of Sustainable Development to cover matters to include the following:
(1) Detailed compliance – that the development be carried out strictly in accordance with the application and accompanying plans; (2) Detailed duration – that the development be commenced within 3 years of the date of this permission; (3) That existing trees and hedgerows be protected during the period of construction; (4) That a landscaping scheme be submitted and agreed before the development commences; (5) That the approved landscaping scheme be implemented in the first planting season following completion of the development; (6) That the working hours for the contractor be approved before the development commences; (7) That the hours of use of the contractors access for the delivery of materials to the site shall be agreed before the development commences; (8) That the existing School Travel Plan shall be updated to take account of this development;
Ecological Informative – the applicant to undertake further survey work to assess the possible presence of badgers in the locality outside the school site. If any are found within 30 metres of the proposed artificial pitch, no work should commence until Natural England has been notified and has advised on how to progress further.
CHRIS COUSINS Head of Sustainable Development Environment & Economy
Background Papers: S.12/07
February 2008
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