Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on pre-application proposals for a new primary school and to receive a presentation on the proposed scheme

This is a pre-application presentation and no formal decision on the development will be taken, however it is an opportunity for Panel Members to ask questions, raise issues, seek clarification and comment on the proposals at this stage. A ward member or a nominated community representative has a maximum of 15 minutes to present their comments. 

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day

  Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer on proposals for a new primary school on land at Florence Street, Harehills and received a presentation on behalf of the development team

  Members were informed that the initial proposals were for a 420 place primary school, with 26 nursery places at what would be known as Nightingale Primary School.  The scheme would contain an element of future proofing to accommodate further likely need, through a proposed extension for a further 210 places, i.e. a three form entry primary school

  Officers advised the Panel that the LEA had explored all available sites in the area, with this one being the only site considered to be suitable

  Particular issues in respect of the proposals related to traffic generation and on street parking, with particular problems being experienced due to the proximity of St James’ Hospital and the amount of on street parking this generated in the area.  In addition there were an excessive number of Traffic Regulation Orders in the area.  A further issue was that part of the site currently housed the Stanley Road Household Waste Site and following its closure, land remediation measures would be required to deal with the contamination from this use

  A recent meeting had taken place involving Officers, Ward Members and the local MP and whilst in general terms the proposal was supported, ther were concerns raised about the lack of a parent/pupil drop off; safety concerns about cycle parking and a lack of staff/visitor car parking spaces.  Members were advised that the number of spaces had now been increased to 50

  A minor correction to the report was made, with Members being informed that the Natural Resources and Waste Development Plan Document was incorrectly referred to as this was now the Adopted Plan

  In terms of the site boundary, attention was drawn to a small area of land at Scarth Avenue which could be included within the site if further car parking was required

  The Panel then received a presentation on the proposals from representatives of the development team

  Details of the design of the school were provided

  In terms of highways issues, Members were informed that despite the surrounding area being a densely packed residential settlement, there was low car ownership, therefore many pupils would arrive on foot so the siting of pedestrian crossings would need to be considered.  A zebra crossing was being proposed on Stanley Road with a Pelican crossing being situated on Harehills Road, although this would have a knock on effect for servicing of shops and bus stops in this location and on queuing traffic at the mini roundabout, with further consideration of these issues being needed

  Pedestrian entrances to the school would be from Stanley Road, Florence Street and Compton Avenue

  Parking around these areas would need to be properly managed and this was likely to result in alterations to the existing parking arrangements in the streets around the site.  Currently there was long stay parking on one side of Stanley Road, with this likely to be altered to short stay parking.  On Florence Street there was also some existing long stay parking, however a parking ban would be required along the school side of the street, with the other side being a mix of residential parking and short stay parking.  In the Comptons, conversion of some existing residents parking was being considered to a mix of short stay and residents only parking

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  that a pupil drop off point was essential.  Members were informed that this would be located in the car park.  Concerns were raised at the practicality of this and that such arrangements led to the car park being blocked and conflict occurring between parents

·  that a large number of pupils will arrive at school by car, despite the number of initiatives to discourage this

·  that Florence Street was a problematic location for parking

·  the loss of the recycling centre with concerns that littering would begin to occur once the site had closed

·  that negotiations with Florence Street Club should be considered about using the club car park as a dropping off point during the day

·  that the area of land at Scarth Avenue should be incorporated within the site, rather than left

·  that to contain parking by parents, a physical barrier to prevent this was required

·  concerns about the effectiveness of a three form entry primary school, but an acceptance of the need for large numbers of primary school places to serve this area

·  concern that the play area was not large enough to accommodate a three form entry primary school; that there was insufficient green space, compared with the amount of hard surface play area; that an imaginative use of the hard surface play area should be devised; that even a small grassed area could be a well used facility and concerns about the proposals to share facilities with other local schools also being raised

·  the need to consider the highways issues for a three form entry primary school at the outset

·  the timescale for the scheme, with Panel being informed that the plan was to open the school in September 2015

In summing up the comments, the Chair stated that there were no concerns about the design of the building and whilst the site could be considered to be viable, work was needed to resolve the highways and parking issues to benefit of all concerned