Issue - meetings

Recommendation: Conditional approval

Proposal:Full planning application for the proposed erection of a new senior school building, re-configuring of two entrances and demolition of existing White Building

Applicant: Crosfields School

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in agenda pages 85 to 134.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·           A response from Reading Buses, withdrawing their objection;

·           A further response from Reading Borough Council, objecting to the proposal;

·           Correction to paragraph 27 to state a 1.1 percent increase;

·           Correction to paragraph 37 bullet point 3 to refer to Condition 15;

·           Correction to paragraph 42, deletion of the final sentence.

Craig Watson, applicant, spoke in support of the application. Craig stated that when he had joined Crosfields five years prior there was no anticipation of removal of the White Building nor expansion to accommodate GCSE students. The school had changed to a co-educational school and there was a desire from parents to keep families together throughout their secondary education. The proposals would allow for a year group of sixty pupils, with a maximum of eighty pupils per year group. Craig stated that there were no plans for inclusion of a 6^th form on-site. A bus route had been introduced to the school and the school was willing to expand the route and there was a genuine desire to work with Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) with regards to this. Approximately one quarter of pupils’ on-roll were siblings, which would reduce journey trips to the school. Craig stated that the proposed removal of the White Building was regrettable, however it was inevitable. No children were taught in the White Building, and the building was unsuitable for teaching purposes. All trees proposed to be removed would be replaced, and the school wanted to allow families to be kept together.

Stephen Conway stated that there was a split in expert opinion regarding highways issues, with WBC’s Highways team suggesting highways issues could be minimised whilst Reading Borough Council’s (RBC’s) Highways team still had objections on highways matters. Judy Kelly, Highways Development Manager, stated that RBC wanted two junctions to be assessed and did not state that there were serious or fundamental concerns. Judy added that an initial travel plan had been submitted by the applicant, however Officers had asked for more work to be conducted on the travel plan alongside them as per the condition. Judy stated that the proposals would lead to a less than one percent increase on existing traffic levels on the affected highways.

Simon Weeks commented that there had been speculation that some of the highways issues in this area had been caused by changes made by RBC at a local junction. Judy Kelly stated that an approach lane had been removed at the junction several years prior.

Jeanette Davey, Case Officer, stated that Shinfield Parish Council had not referred to the White Building in their comments, with their focus being on highways issues. Jeanette stated that there had been significant modifications to the White  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84