Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider application EPF/1325/17 to modify the S106 agreement linked to planning permission reference EPF/1097/09. The proposed modification is to restrict pupil numbers at Oaklands School, 8, Albion Hill, Loughton to 273 following the completion of the car park and dropping off area approved, on appeal, under planning permission reference EPF/2774/15 (an increase of 30 pupils above the current restriction of 243).

The Principal Planning Officer advised that Oaklands School provided teaching and other services for children who ranged between 2 and a half years and 11 years of age. However, because of its primarily residential nature, narrow width, and gradient, Albion Hill was not a suitable road for parking and setting down and picking up school children. The school also has very limited off street spaces and hence most staff that travel by car had to park in nearby streets. It is for these highway and parking reasons that a legal agreement was entered in to (alongside the planning approval EPF/174/83) to restrict the school roll to 243, and this was repeated in the modified legal agreement drawn up in conjunction with EPF/1097/09.

The school had tried to reduce congestion and parking problems by introducing an informal one way system whereby parents drove up Warren hill or Upper Park, then along Nursery Road, and then drove down Albion Hill. A caretaker assisted in helping children out of cars as they parked in the roadway. Up to 7 cars could be backed up in this manoeuvre in the peak period of 8.30am to 8.45 am, and clearly movements of residents’ cars, and service/delivery vehicles was hampered in this period. Staggered school opening and closing times had also been introduced in order to reduce congestion, and for some years a second pedestrian access to the school had been created from the High Road facilitated by an Essex CC funded road crossing officer. This secondary access had facilitated parents and children accessing the school by foot, although it was apparent that some parents parked their cars at the top of Spring Grove or in Warren Hill and then accompany their children to school via this secondary side access. The school also provided a caretaker at this secondary side entrance to assist children entering the school grounds.

The school had not increased its school roll for more than 30 years and currently it was at full capacity, some siblings of existing pupils have to be denied a place because of the legal agreement requiring a maximum school role of 243 pupils.

Against this background the school submitted the planning application EPF/2774/15 in which it was proposed to construct a new off street drop off point in Warren Hill with a 34 space car park, together with a proposal to modify the legal agreement and expand the school roll from 243 to 273. The main thrust of the school’s argument was that a purpose built drop off point and car park in Warren Hill would considerably reduce congestion and drop off parking in Albion Hill (and also at the High Road end of Spring Grove), and allow teachers and staff cars to be parked in the new car park and not on nearby roads – and the benefit of these new facilities would considerably outweigh a relatively modest increase of 30 pupils on the school role.

As mentioned above the Councils refusal of EPF/2774/15 was taken to appeal and the Inspector granted planning permission.

            RESOLVED:

That the S106 legal agreement be modified to allow for a maximum of 273 children to be registered on the school roll but that this increase of 30 pupils can only be commenced when the Warren Hill drop off facility and car park, approved under EPF/2774/15, had been completed and was available for use.