Agenda item

Recommendation: Conditional approval.

Proposal: Application for the approval of Reserved Matters, including layout, scale, appearance and landscaping in relation to the erection of a new primary school including nursery to be undertaken on a phased basis – Phase 1 (2FE Primary School) and Phase 2 (3FE Primary School), including the provision of hard court play area, all-weather pitch, ancillary club house block and associated access, parking and landscaping.

Applicant: Wokingham Borough Council.

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in agenda pages 83 to 116.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included three additional conditions.

Piers Brunning, on behalf of the Applicant, spoke in favour of the application. He stated that the scheme would deliver key components of the Arborfield SDL and would be the first of two new primary schools to be built as part of the scheme. He added that the school would be developed in two phases, with the first phase offering 420 places for pupils. Piers continued by stating that phase two would be initiated if the demand increased, with this phase offering up to 630 places for pupils. Piers stated that the school would provide a good teaching environment with a good range of teaching spaces and age appropriate areas. He stated that an all-weather sports pitch would be built on the site which would be worth double the area of a grass pitch as it could be used far in excess of a grass pitch. Piers added that the all-weather sports pitch would be available for community use when appropriate at the weekends. It was noted that there would be a dedicated community and school drop off point to supplement the staff car park. 

Members commented positively on the provision of a sprinkler system at the school. Alex Thwaites, Case Officer, stated that although sprinkler provision was not a planning consideration the planning department had worked closely with the developer to ensure that the school would be sprinkler protected.

Members queried the allocation of 11 parking spaces (excluding the 37 staff spaces provided) for Phase 1 and asked whether there was any scope to increase this number. Chris Easton, Highways Development Manager, stated that the proposed parking had provisions for more than one space per staff member and therefore exceeded the Council’s policy in respect of parking. He added that a parking management strategy had been secured and would be enforced should the need arise.

RESOLVED: That application 180846 be approved subject to the conditions set out in agenda pages 84 to 89 and the additional 3 conditions as set out in the Members’ Update.