Hackbridge Ecology Park |
Draft Response to Planning Application for Primary School expansion
A planning application to expand Hackbridge Primary School onto a separate site on London Road, Hackbridge has gone for planning permission. This falls onto the land of interest for establishing Hackbridge Ecology Park.
To be able to make any comments about this proposed development, you must either go online at the link below or write a letter to Sutton Council, ensuring you use their planning reference C2015/72418.
http://gis.sutton.gov.uk/FASTWEB/detail.asp?AltRef=C2015/72418
Consultation finishes on 11 September 2015, all comments need to be submitted before this deadline.Below is our draft response the Sutton Council's Planning Application (C2015/72418) for a primary school on the land North of BedZED. Our final statement will be completed and sent to Sutton Council Planning on 11 September 2015.
Below is a Draft Response to this Planning Application from members of Hackbridge Ecology Park:
To be able to make any comments about this proposed development, you must either go online at the link below or write a letter to Sutton Council, ensuring you use their planning reference C2015/72418.
http://gis.sutton.gov.uk/FASTWEB/detail.asp?AltRef=C2015/72418
Consultation finishes on 11 September 2015, all comments need to be submitted before this deadline.Below is our draft response the Sutton Council's Planning Application (C2015/72418) for a primary school on the land North of BedZED. Our final statement will be completed and sent to Sutton Council Planning on 11 September 2015.
Below is a Draft Response to this Planning Application from members of Hackbridge Ecology Park:
Hackbridge Ecology Park Group
(DRAFT) Statement on proposed Hackbridge School at land north of BedZED
Response to planning application (C2015/72418), 15th July 2015
The Hackbridge Ecology Park Group (HEPG) is a resident-led local group whose aim is to create a new gateway to the Wandle Valley Regional Park on the land north of BedZED. This will involve transforming what is currently an underused and neglected site without official public access to become a vibrant, community-led and governed open space as an integral part of the Regional Park. It will be a productive, sustainable, engaging space that demonstrates how the community can benefit from and improve the natural environment.
Many members of the HEPG were disappointed that the proposed site for the school is on land designated as MOL (Metropolitan Open Land) and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature (SMI/formerly SINC). This designation is intended to protect areas of landscape, recreation, nature conservation and scientific interest which are strategically important, therefore ‘very special circumstances’ are necessary to justify inappropriate development (NPPF para 87). The development will be in conflict with the London-wide and local planning policy (e.g. LPP 7.17 and Sutton Plan PMP7, PMP9). The London Plan specifically states that ‘Development that involves the loss of MOL in return for the creation of new open space elsewhere will not be considered appropriate). Furthermore if planning permission is granted for the school, there is a fear that it sets precedents for other developments. Members of HEPG felt it is unfortunate that there was not sufficient planning foresight to try and locate the school on brownfield sites, such as the large Felnex site, situated only 700m away and in the early stages of redevelopment. Additionally the site is part of one of the most important strategic opportunity areas in the entire Wandle Valley with the potential to be a gateway to the Wandle Valley Regional Park as a whole.
Due to the strategic value of the site, its status as Metropolitan Open Land and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation the HEPG do not support the development of a school unless very special circumstances are forthcoming and if VSCs exist for the development to proceed within a Masterplan for this strategic area and for the planning permission to be determined by elected members and not delegated officers.
Within the context of those VSCs, Masterplan and approval by elected members the group welcomes the council’s commitment to build the school building to Zero Carbon and Passivhaus standards, its appointment of a strong design team of highly accomplished architects and landscape architects to prepare the planning application, and its engagement with the group to integrate the school design with the potential future ecology park.
There are a number of important items outstanding which the group believes need to be resolved via the Masterplan before completion of the application, and on which the group would like to provide the following formal response:
Enhanced specification of green roof
The group welcomes the use of green roofs throughout the school development, however it understands a minimal specification is being considered. The group supports the use of extensive green roof systems which can support chalk grassland type flora, at least over part of the roof structure.
Growing areas
Notwithstanding the care with which the landscaping proposals of the school have been developed, it appears that no consideration has been given to providing growing areas within the school site. The group believes that such facilities should be planned in at the design stage as they are more difficult to retrofit at a later date.
Access gate in eastern boundary
The group welcomes the incorporation of a gate in the eastern boundary of the school to enable the school to enjoy direct access for educational purposes to the open lands, once they have been made safe. However the gate is currently located in a remote corner of the playground where it will be difficult to monitor; the group recommends its positioning more centrally, for example aligned to the canopy along the southern elevation of the classroom wing.
Prevention of encroachment
Access to the open lands to the north and east of the school should prevent illegal encroachment by vehicles.
The Hackbridge Ecology Park Group welcomes active engagement with the council and design team on the above issues to achieve a solution that can meet the objectives of the Neighbourhood Development Group, Wandle Valley Regional Park and the Hackbridge Ecology Park Group.
Yours sincerely
Samuel Smith
On behalf of the Hackbridge Ecology Park Group
Peter Alfrey (Chair)
Sam Smith (Treasurer)
Sue Riddlestone (Secretary)
(DRAFT) Statement on proposed Hackbridge School at land north of BedZED
Response to planning application (C2015/72418), 15th July 2015
The Hackbridge Ecology Park Group (HEPG) is a resident-led local group whose aim is to create a new gateway to the Wandle Valley Regional Park on the land north of BedZED. This will involve transforming what is currently an underused and neglected site without official public access to become a vibrant, community-led and governed open space as an integral part of the Regional Park. It will be a productive, sustainable, engaging space that demonstrates how the community can benefit from and improve the natural environment.
Many members of the HEPG were disappointed that the proposed site for the school is on land designated as MOL (Metropolitan Open Land) and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature (SMI/formerly SINC). This designation is intended to protect areas of landscape, recreation, nature conservation and scientific interest which are strategically important, therefore ‘very special circumstances’ are necessary to justify inappropriate development (NPPF para 87). The development will be in conflict with the London-wide and local planning policy (e.g. LPP 7.17 and Sutton Plan PMP7, PMP9). The London Plan specifically states that ‘Development that involves the loss of MOL in return for the creation of new open space elsewhere will not be considered appropriate). Furthermore if planning permission is granted for the school, there is a fear that it sets precedents for other developments. Members of HEPG felt it is unfortunate that there was not sufficient planning foresight to try and locate the school on brownfield sites, such as the large Felnex site, situated only 700m away and in the early stages of redevelopment. Additionally the site is part of one of the most important strategic opportunity areas in the entire Wandle Valley with the potential to be a gateway to the Wandle Valley Regional Park as a whole.
Due to the strategic value of the site, its status as Metropolitan Open Land and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation the HEPG do not support the development of a school unless very special circumstances are forthcoming and if VSCs exist for the development to proceed within a Masterplan for this strategic area and for the planning permission to be determined by elected members and not delegated officers.
Within the context of those VSCs, Masterplan and approval by elected members the group welcomes the council’s commitment to build the school building to Zero Carbon and Passivhaus standards, its appointment of a strong design team of highly accomplished architects and landscape architects to prepare the planning application, and its engagement with the group to integrate the school design with the potential future ecology park.
There are a number of important items outstanding which the group believes need to be resolved via the Masterplan before completion of the application, and on which the group would like to provide the following formal response:
- Mitigation for loss of over 3 acres of valuable grassland habitat
Construction of the school and associated outdoor spaces will entail loss of approximately 1.3 hectares or 3.1 acres of valuable grassland habitat in a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). The group expects the council to mitigate this loss through the improvement of an equivalent area of grassland adjacent; this could be located directly to the east of the proposed school site. It is essential that this mitigated habitat also has public access. The group would welcome an advisory or governance role in the specification and implementation of this mitigation, subject to the council providing appropriate resources to enable the group to do so effectively. - Mitigation for loss of Metropolitan Open Land
Construction of the school and associated outdoor spaces will entail loss of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) equivalent to the ground floor area of the school. Due to this piecemeal encroachment on MOL and the lands of the proposed Regional Park, the group calls on the council to support the Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust to prepare a masterplan or local framework for the Farmlands and adjacent areas which would guide the realisation of the park in a more coherent manner. - Reduction of car parking provision
No specific statement on parking provision has been provided, other than that parking is for staff only, and that the school will support active travel, i.e. by walking, cycling and public transport. Given that Hackbridge is relatively well served by public transport, the group expects that school staff could most effectively champion active travel amongst the school community by practicing it themselves. Hence the provision of staff car parking should be to minimum rather than maximum standards; for example, in early plans only 12 car parking spaces were indicated for staff, whereas now this has grown to 20. - Access and signage to Beddington Farmlands
The improvement of access along the southern boundary of the school provides part of a strategic walking route to the Beddington Farmlands via the Irrigation Bridge. The group recommends improvement of access and signposting along the full length of the walking route from London Road to the bridge as part of the school project. This work lies on lands entirely within council ownership and would leave the Irrigation Bridge as the final ‘missing link’ on which the council and partners could focus their efforts and fundraising capabilities to unlock.
Enhanced specification of green roof
The group welcomes the use of green roofs throughout the school development, however it understands a minimal specification is being considered. The group supports the use of extensive green roof systems which can support chalk grassland type flora, at least over part of the roof structure.
Growing areas
Notwithstanding the care with which the landscaping proposals of the school have been developed, it appears that no consideration has been given to providing growing areas within the school site. The group believes that such facilities should be planned in at the design stage as they are more difficult to retrofit at a later date.
Access gate in eastern boundary
The group welcomes the incorporation of a gate in the eastern boundary of the school to enable the school to enjoy direct access for educational purposes to the open lands, once they have been made safe. However the gate is currently located in a remote corner of the playground where it will be difficult to monitor; the group recommends its positioning more centrally, for example aligned to the canopy along the southern elevation of the classroom wing.
Prevention of encroachment
Access to the open lands to the north and east of the school should prevent illegal encroachment by vehicles.
The Hackbridge Ecology Park Group welcomes active engagement with the council and design team on the above issues to achieve a solution that can meet the objectives of the Neighbourhood Development Group, Wandle Valley Regional Park and the Hackbridge Ecology Park Group.
Yours sincerely
Samuel Smith
On behalf of the Hackbridge Ecology Park Group
Peter Alfrey (Chair)
Sam Smith (Treasurer)
Sue Riddlestone (Secretary)