Meeting documents

Mr D Periam, Planning Lead Officer, reported that since the publication of the report contained in the agenda pack the applicant had submitted a Construction Traffic Management Plan and a School Travel Plan.  Mr Periam had circulated an addendum to the committee members which would be attached to the minutes.  The Flood Management Team had considered the additional information submitted referred to in paragraph 8.27 of the report and had no objection subject to a condition as set out in Appendix A of the addendum.

Mr Periam provided a short presentation of a number of photographs showing the location of the school, application site, footprint of the new building, existing school buildings, the former disused allotment area and housing near the school.  Mr Periam advised that the school was in the Green Belt.  The hedge had been trimmed so there were more open views from the upper floors; however the hedge provided screening to the ground floor rooms of nearby housing.  There would be no change to the access off Orchard End Avenue.

Members of the committee raised and discussed the following points:

• A member of the committee stated that protection of the hedge would be important to residents but there was no condition on an agreement of the height of the hedge.  Mr Periam confirmed that a condition could be included to maintain the hedge at a certain level.
• It was noted that a member of the committee considered it would be a positive change for the school.

Ms J Caprio, District Lawyer and Legal Services Manager, clarified that the members of the Development Control Committee would be voting on the recommendation to approve planning permission subject to the schedule of conditions listed in Appendix A of the addendum with an additional condition to maintain the hedge at a certain level in order to provide screening for the nearby residents.

RESOVLED:  The Development Control Committee APPROVED application number CC/0046/19 - Proposed new single storey self-contained 6th Form block comprising four classrooms, common room, office, intervention room, toilets and storage. External areas comprising fenced in teaching area connected to new building, patio and planting beds at Stony Dean School, Orchard End Avenue, Amersham, subject to the amended conditions as set out in Appendix A of the addendum:

1.    The development to which this permission relates must be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason:  To prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions, to enable the Local Planning Authority to review the suitability of the development in the light of altered circumstances and to comply with the provisions of Section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

2.    The development shall not be carried out other than in accordance with the following drawings:

PJT10117-MCA-ZZ-GF-DR-A-1001- Proposed Ground Floor Plan

PJT10117-MCA-ZZ-XX-DR-A-0003 - Site Plan

PJT10117-MCA-ZZ-XX-DR-A-2001 - Elevations

PJT10117-DID-ZZ-00-DR-C-5001 P03 - Proposed Drainage Layout

PJT10117-LRH-ZZ-GF-DR-E-0002 - Lighting and Fire Alarm Installations

Reason:  To ensure the development is not detrimental to the character of the locality, in accordance with policies GC1 of the Chiltern District Local Plan and CS20 of the CSCD.

Pre-commencement

3.       Prior to the commencement of the development approved by this planning permission (or such other date or stage in development as may be agreed in writing with the County Planning Authority), the following components of a scheme to deal with the risks associated with contamination of the site shall each be submitted to and approved, in writing, by the County Planning Authority:

 i) A preliminary risk assessment which has identified:

• All previous uses

• Potential contaminants associated with those uses

• A conceptual model of the site indicating sources, pathways and receptors

• Potentially unacceptable risks arising from contamination at the site.

ii) A site investigation scheme, based on (i) to provide information for a detailed assessment of the risk to all receptors that may be affected, including those off site. This should include an assessment of the potential risks to: human health, property (existing or proposed) including buildings, crops, pests, woodland and service lines and pipes, adjoining land, ground waters and surface waters, ecological systems, archaeological sites and ancient monuments.

 iii) The site investigation results of the detailed risk assessment and, based on these, an options appraisal and remediation strategy giving full details of the remediation measures required and how they are to be undertaken.

iv) A verification plan providing details of the data that will be collected in order to demonstrate that the works set out in (iii) are complete and identifying any requirements for longer term monitoring of pollutant linkages, maintenance and arrangements for contingency action. No changes to these components shall be made other than with the approval in writing of the County Planning Authority. The scheme shall be implemented as approved.

Reason:  To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors in accordance with policy CS4 of the CSCD.

4.       The development shall not commence until a surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on sustainable drainage principles has been submitted to and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed. The scheme shall also include:

·       Incorporation of above ground SuDS, where possible

·       Construction details of all SuDS and drainage components

·       Details of how and when the full drainage system will be maintained, this should also include details of who will be responsible for the maintenance

·       Details of proposed overland flood flow routes in the event of system exceedance or failure, with demonstration of flow direction

Reason - The reason for this pre-start/construction condition is to ensure that a sustainable drainage strategy has been agreed prior to construction in accordance with Paragraph 163 of the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure that there is a satisfactory solution to managing flood risk.

Construction vehicles

5.       The development herby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Construction Management Plan.

Reason - In order to minimise danger and inconvenience to highway users and users of the highway in general in accordance with policies CS25 and CS26 of the CSCD.

Pre-occupation

6.       Following completion of the measures identified in the approved remediation scheme approved pursuant to condition 3 and prior to the first occupation of the development; a verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation carried out shall be produced together with any necessary monitoring and maintenance programme and copies of any waste transfer notes relating to exported and imported soils shall be submitted to the County Planning Authority for approval. The approved monitoring and maintenance programme shall be implemented.

Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors in accordance with policy CS4 of the CSCD. (The above must be undertaken in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency’s ‘Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11).

7.       Following first occupation of the development hereby permitted the School Travel Plan shall be implemented.  The School Travel Plan shall be reviewed on Modeshift STARS and submitted for approval, on an annual basis, at the end of each academic year.

The annual submission shall include a full analysis of the existing modal split for staff and pupils at the school and detailed proposals for future sustainable transport promotion and provision, with the aim of securing no increase in the number of car movements generated on the school journey. In the event of an increase in the number of car movements, the school shall undertake measures, which will have previously been identified in the travel plan, as are necessary to promote a reduction in the number of car borne trips.

Reason:  In order to minimise danger, obstruction and inconvenience to users of the highway.  Also in order to promote sustainable methods of travel, to minimise danger, obstruction and inconvenience to users of the highway and in accordance with policies CS25 and CS26 of the CSCD.

8.         Prior to the occupation of the development, measures for the mitigation of the impacts on protected species and other ecological features of interest shall be implemented in accordance with the recommendations set out in Sections 7.2 (habitats) and 7.3 (protected/notable species) of the updated Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (Middlemarch, October 2019). This should include the preparation a non-licensed method statement for reptiles and amphibians in accordance with the recommendation made in section 7.3 (R4). The condition will be considered discharged following a written statement from the ecologist acting for the developer testifying to the mitigation and restoration measures having been implemented correctly.

Reason: To comply with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, ODPM 06/2005, The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended), and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Ongoing conditions

9.       No lighting with the exception of security lighting of ? 10W shall be used between the hours of 7pm -7am.

Reason - To protect the amenity of local residents particularly those adjacent to the development on Pineapple Road in accordance with policy GC3 of the CDLP.

10.      In the event that contamination is found at any time when carrying out the approved development that was not previously identified, it shall be reported in writing immediately to the County Planning Authority. An investigation and risk assessment shall be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of condition 3, and where remediation is necessary a remediation scheme must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of condition 3, which is subject to the approval in writing of the County Planning Authority. Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme a verification report must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing of the County Planning Authority in accordance with condition 3.

Reason - To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors in accordance with policy CS4 of the CSCD.

11.      Tree protection measures in accordance with British Standard BS5837:2012     shall be implemented throughout the construction period.

Reason: To ensure that existing trees are protected from any damage in accordance with policy GC4 of the CDLP.

Plus an additional condition to maintain the hedge at a certain level in order to provide screening for the nearby residents.