Agenda No.
3
HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 7 DECEMBER 2010 AT 10.00 AM
STEVENAGE BOROUGH
THE EXPANSION OF THE NOBEL SCHOOL TO 8 FORMS OF ENTRY (1600 PUPIL PLACES) AND IT'S CO-LOCATION WITH THE STEVENAGE MUSIC CENTRE, PLUS RELATED WORKS
Report of the Director of Environment & Commercial Services
Contact: Chay Dempster Tel: 01992 556211
Local Member: Robin Parker
1. Purpose of Report
1.1 To consider planning application ref 0/0457-10 for full permission for the expansion of the Nobel School to 8 forms of entry (1600 pupil places) and it's co-location with the Stevenage Music Centre, plus related works, including improvement works to the junction of Mobbsbury Way/Fairlands Way.
2. Summary
2.1 The application proposes the expansion of the Nobel School to 8 forms of entry (1600 pupil places) and it's co-location with the Stevenage Music Centre, plus related works to include:
§ The remodelling of the existing main school building
§ The demolition of other existing buildings
§ The erection of new school buildings up to four storeys
§ Alterations to access on Mobbsbury Way
§ New northern car park with 178 spaces,
§ The provision of a pupil pick-up and drop off facility
§ New floodlit all weather pitch and multi use games areas
§ Improvements to sports pitches (regrading/ drainage)
§ The provision of a freestanding plant building
§ Comprehensive landscaping scheme including new public plaza
§ The provision of temporary teaching facilities during construction
2.2 This application forms part of the proposed expansion of secondary school places for Stevenage. The application is submitted concurrently with the application to expand the Marriotts School on Telford Avenue, Stevenage.
2.3 Proposals for the Nobel and Marriotts Schools have been developed under Building Schools for the Future. Funding for these projects has been agreed following the cancellation of the national BSF programme.
2.4 The Nobel school is a mainstream secondary with a combined specialist college in science and performing arts. The school currently has 1,171 pupils and 150 staff (full time equivalent). The internal floorspace of existing buildings is 8,119sqm.
2.5 The application proposes the expansion of Nobel school to 8 FE (1600 pupils) plus the co-location of the Stevenage Music Centre to the site. The proposed floor space is 14,336sqm.
2.6 The scheme is based on 35% refurbishment and 65% new build. The main building occupying the centre of the site would be refurbished. The other buildings would be demolished.
2.7 Car parking is proposed to increase from 71 to 178 spaces, including 10 spaces for disabled access and 14 spaces for the Timebridge Community Centre at the front of the car park.
2.8 The proposed buildings range in height between one and four storeys and are generally set well within the site. The only new building at the front of the site would house the Learning Resource Centre (single storey).
2.9 The development would result in a small reduction in playing pitches (0.62 hectares). The proposed sports facilities include a new all weather pitch, new multi use games areas, and improvements to existing playing fields to include regrading and drainage works.
2.10 The principle planning issues related to this application are:
§ the impact on open space
§ visual and landscape impact
§ design and layout
§ the impact on residential amenity
§ the impact on school playing fields
§ highway safety and capacity
§ energy use and sustainable development
2.11 It should be noted that outline planning permission was granted in 2008 for the expansion of Nobel school to 8 FE (13,500sqm) and the co-location of the Stevenage Music Centre (2/0460-08). The application included details of access plus a pupil drop off facility with all other matters reserved. The outline planning permission is a material consideration in the determination of this application.
3. Conclusion
3.1 This application proposes the expansion of school places at Nobel School on Mobbsbury Way. The development of Nobel School allied with the proposed expansion of the Marriotts School on Telford Avenue would contribute to the need for additional school places in the town.
3.2 The new buildings would be between one and four storeys in height. Space would be provided in the refurbished building for the Stevenage Music Centre.
3.3 The proposed new sports facilities would be a significant enhancement over existing facilities to compensate for the decrease in grass pitches. An extensive landscape scheme is proposed to compensate for trees removed to accommodate new buildings.
3.4 The proposals for a new pupil drop off/ pick up area should reduce parking congestion on Mobbsbury Way. The proposed improvements to the junction at Mobbsbury Way/ Fairlands Way would improve capacity and reduce congestion.
3.5 Proposed parking for the school and the Timebridge Community Centre is sufficient and combined with an efficient school travel plan should avoid on-street parking.
3.6 It is therefore recommended that the Director of Environment and Commercial Services should be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the following conditions:
1. Time limit - three years
2. Materials – samples to be submitted prior to the commencement of development
3. Accordance - development shall be in accordance with approved plans and drawings.
4. Lighting scheme – details to be provided including details of height and lux of floodlights for the AWP and MUGA
5. Sport facilities – to be provided in accordance with the approved plans.
6. Community Use and Management Agreement – to be prepared and implemented for community use of the sports facilities.
7. Ground conditions assessment – to be carried out and submitted for approval prior to any works to grass playing pitches, to ensure good quality sports pitches are provided.
8. Car Parking and Traffic Management Plan – to include measures for dual use of the school car park by the community centre shall be submitted for approval prior to the first occupation of the new school buildings.
9. Landscaping scheme – in accordance with the approved plans shall be provided within the first available planting season.
10. Programme of archaeological works – to be submitted prior to the commencement of the development.
11. Ground investigation report – to be submitted prior to the commencement of the development.
12. Construction Code of Conduct / Environmental Management Plan – shall be submitted for approval and implemented in accordance with the approved plan.
13. Temporary classrooms – the temporary classrooms shall be removed on first occupation of the new school buildings.
14. Highway improvements – the junction improvements to Mobbsbury Way/Fairlands Way shall be carried out in accordance with drawing E1678/171-A prior to the first occupation of the new school buildings
15. School Travel Plan – the submitted School Travel Plan shall be reviewed to current HCC criteria and submitted for approval prior to first occupation of the new school buildings, and implemented in full throughout the life of the school
16. Bus stop improvements – the bus stop in front of the school shall be upgraded to provide a shelter and easy access kerbing to meet DDA requirement within 6 months of the first opening of the school buildings
17. Pupil drop off/pick up facility – shall be provided in accordance with the approved plans and maintained at all times in connection with the school use of the site
18. Parking / access – works shown on the approved plans/ car parking and traffic management plan shall be completed prior to first occupation of the school,
19. New Access – shall be provided in accordance with the approved plans
20. Hedgerows – to be protected for the duration of development. Any hedges damaged within 5 first years shall be replaced,
21. Sports facilities – the permitted hours of use of the AWP pitch and MUGAs are 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm on Saturdays and 10am to 4pm on Sundays,
22. Green Roofs – the functional green roof (Sedum roof) shall be provided in accordance with drawing ITSFB-MALS-A-004.
23. Construction and demolition – permitted hours of operation are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturday, no working on Sundays and bank holidays
24. Construction Method Statement Plan/Management Plan – to be provided prior to the commencement of construction including details of demolition/ construction and dust suppression methods,
25. Noise – the level of noise emitted from any plant room, or ventilation system shall not cause an increase in the existing ambient noise level at the boundary of the site,
26. Surface water drainage scheme – to be submitted showing details of (a) greenfield discharge rate from the site s (b) attenuation to cope with the 1 in 100 year flood event, and (c) maximisation of SUDS use on site
27. Protected species – any demolition shall be undertaken in the presence of an ecologist
4. Background to the proposals
4.1 For some time it has been acknowledged that there is a need for additional secondary school places in Stevenage as a result of recent housing development and rising birth rates. It has also been recognised that there is a need to transform secondary education in the town.
4.2 A public consultation was undertaken in 2007 based on the following options for the expansion of Stevenage schools:
· 8 form of entry (8FE) secondary schools to meet the rising numbers of school age children in the town:
· 9 or 10 FE schools, should any site prove not to be viable; and
· co-location of special school provision with mainstream schools.
4.3 The chosen model for Stevenage is based on 8 FE schools. The benefits of expanded secondary schools are understood to be the wider curriculum, more sustainable sixth forms, higher achievement levels, and benefits from shared services and facilities, and other economies of scale.
4.4 The option to expand existing secondary schools to 8FE has been selected by the County Council as the best and most efficient way to meet the demand for places in Stevenage.
4.5 The town planning implications for the expansion of the schools on their existing sites are discussed in the document ‘Stevenage Secondary Schools- Building Schools for the Future, The Overarching Case in Support of the Individual Planning Application Proposals’ June 2008.
5. The Site and surroundings
5.1 The application site comprises the Nobel School which is located in the Chells residential district of Stevenage south east of Mobbsbury Way.
5.2 Nobel School specialises in science and performing arts.
5.3 The site is surrounded by houses on Mobbsbury Way, Lanterns Lane to the east, and the allotments behind Elm Green to the south east. The south and west boundaries adjoin houses on Bernhardt Avenue, Lodge Farm Primary School playing fields and the Timebridge Community Centre.
5.4 The existing buildings are concentrated in the western part of the site adjoining Mobbsbury Way. The main buildings date from the 1960s. Further modern buildings have been added to house the maths and performing arts faculties. The existing buildings comprise a total internal floorspace of 8,119m2. The total site area is 6.62 hectares.
5.5 The main building (single storey) has the largest footprint and occupies the central part of the site. The ADT block (single storey) is located north of the main block. Two temporary classrooms are located on the northern boundary. The science/ geography and maths blocks (two storeys) are located east of the main building. The communications block (three storeys) and performing arts block (single storey) are located south of the main building.
5.6 The existing buildings comprise stand alone structures with the communications block linked to the main building by a glazed link (single storey).
5.7 The school playing fields, all weather pitch, and multi use games areas are located south east of the school buildings. The car park is located in the southern part of the site adjoining Lodge Farm Primary School.
5.8 The main access on Mobbsbury leads to the car park on the southern side of the site. The secondary access beside the caretaker’s house leads into a service yard and parking area in the northern part of the site. Currently there are 71 parking spaces on site.
The Proposed Development
5.9 The brief for the development of the Nobel School is based on 35% refurbishment and 65% new build. To that end the scheme proposes to retain and refurbish the main building and demolish the other buildings. The caretaker’s house will be retained for future use.
5.10 The total proposed floorspace would increase from 8,119sqm to 14,336sqm.
5.11 The retained main building would house the majority of larger spaces including the main hall, auditorium, and dining space. The Stevenage Music Centre would occupy the front of the building to allow easy access to the public.
5.12 The new four storey building would be attached to the east side of the main building providing classrooms for ADT, Science, Maths, Humanities, and Communication.
5.13 The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) would be housed in a new single storey building at the front of the site. The LRC building would signify the visitor entrance and promote its use by the community.
Sports buildings and facilities
5.14 The gymnasium and sports hall would be attached to the south side of the main hall providing a dance studio, fitness suite, physical education classroom, and a four court sports hall, with further external sports facilities provided by the multi use games area (five courts) and the all-weather pitch which is large enough for hockey and senior football. All of the new facilities would be available for use by the community and sport clubs.
Parking
5.15 Parking for the school, Stevenage Music Centre and Timebridge Community Centre is provided in the main car park in the northern part of the site. In total 178 spaces are provided, 10 spaces (6%) would be for disabled access. The school park would be available for evening use by visitors to the Timebridge Centre.
5.16 At the front of the car park there is a drop off/pick up area to cater for the school, Stevenage Music Centre, and Timebridge Community Centre. At the rear of the car park an area for coach turning and school deliveries is provided. 160 cycle spaces are provided in shelters around the building.