Agenda item

A report was presented on a single storey detached building to provide sixth form teaching accommodation, associated landscaping and the provision of 11 additional car parking spaces to provide a total of 60 parking spaces at  Hillside Special School, Ribchester Road (B6245), Hothersall.

The report included the views of Ribble Valley Borough Council, Hothersall Parish Council, the County Council's Specialist Advisor (Ecology) and details of eleven letters of representation received.

The Deputy Group Head, Development Management presented a PowerPoint Presentation showing an aerial view of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown an illustration of the proposed layout and elevations together with photographs of the proposed site.

The Deputy Group Head reported orally that the views of the County Council's Assistant Director (Highways) had been received.  He felt that it was clear from the objections received that there was/had been an issue with taxis waiting to access the site. When the site was visited with the developer there were no taxis waiting on the highway (but this may not have been a representative observation as the gates were in the open position due to maintenance work). It was felt that the school head and the travel care provider would need to address any problems. It was noted the number of taxis has been reduced from 40 to 21 as more pupils share taxis and there was a commitment to pursue the introduction of a travel plan. With this in mind, no objection to the proposal was raised but it was suggested that a travel plan be submitted prior to the occupation of the new building and that the travel plan should include provision for regular liaison and a channel of communication with the Parish Council to ensure that the arrival and departure of the taxis did not give cause for concern.

It was reported that a letter of representation had been received from County Councillor David Smith. He felt that the 11 proposed car parking spaces would not alleviate the 'stacking taxi' problem on the main (Ribchester) Road, at least while the main school gate remained locked at critical times. He also felt that the application should only be approved with a traffic management plan that took taxis off the main road before 9am and before the end of the school day.

A further 3 letters of representation had been received from local residents objecting to the proposal for the following summarised reasons:

·  The number of taxis waiting on Ribchester Road would increase and so pose an even greater danger to pedestrians, cyclists, neighbours, local residents and motor vehicle users on a road approaching the school where the national speed limit (60mph) applies.

·  There had already been a number of incidents on the stretch of road in question including two pedestrian fatalities in the last 16 years. Consequently, the road surface was improved with raised red road humps at the junction and on the approach roads immediately outside Hillside. However, there was still on average one vehicle collision every couple of months and daily near misses mainly due to speeding. A real danger included cars ramming into the back of vehicles as they wait to pull into their own residential driveways. The large number of taxis that consistently wait on the road for up to 20 minutes before the gates open only amplified the situation.

·  The problem had escalated since electric gates were installed at the entrance to the school access and the school refused to open them until 9am and 3pm.

It was suggested that a double, vehicle width holding bay should be created outside of the school gates by either moving the gates further down the existing long driveway or creating a long holding bay the full width of the school grounds on the approach to the school from the east (south side of Ribchester Road). There was ample room within the school grounds and along the frontage to implement either of these options. Another possible solution would be to build a small road across fields via Higher College Farm.

The committee was advised that the issues raised were addressed in the report. With regards to condition 7, it was noted that the travel plan would need to be reviewed when the new staff were present. It was felt it would be inappropriate to require the travel plan to be prepared prior to the occupation of the building. It was therefore proposed to amend condition 7 as follows to exclude part e) and for that to be the subject of a new condition. It is not proposed to make it a requirement for dialogue with the Parish Council.

7.  With 6 months of the new sixth form building hereby approved being brought into use a revised Travel Plan for the whole of the school including the new sixth form, as defined by this permission, shall be submitted to the Director of Transport and Environment for approval in writing.

The Travel Plan shall include:

a)  A brief description of the whole school including the sixth form building, their location and a summary of the particular transport and road safety issues at the site including the transport of all pupils by private vehicle, taxi or bus.

b)  Evidence and results of consultation with staff and other interested parties.

c)  Targets and measures to minimise the impact of/reduce private car use for the journey to and from the site by staff and other visitors including the transport of all pupils by private vehicle, taxi or bus.

d)  A summary of the site’s current road safety policies and practices, details of any new or proposed initiatives including a planned timetable of introduction.

e)  Proposals for monitoring progress of the Travel Plan including a timetable for its implementation and review.

The revised Travel Plan shall be implemented in full within one month from the date of approval and within one month of any subsequent review for the purposes of (e) above.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and to conform with Policy G1 of the Ribble Valley Local Plan.

Additional condition:

Prior to the commencement of development, details of the times the school gates are to be open before school starts and finishes to accommodate drop off and pick up times shall be submitted to the Director of Transport and Environment for approval in writing. The gates shall remain open during the approved times for drop off and pick up times every day the school is open to pupils to ensure that taxis and buses can access the grounds and wait to drop off and pick up pupils without the need to wait on Ribchester Road within 200 metres of the school gates and  provision shall  be made within the school grounds to ensure  taxis and buses  waiting to drop pupils off and pick pupils up do not  wait on Ribchester Road within 200 metres of the school gates.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety and to conform with Policy G1 of the Ribble Valley Local Plan.

County Councillor David Smith, the local member for the area, addressed the committee. He reiterated the concerns set out in his letter of representation above in relation to the parking situation on the access road to the school and called for more realism and rigour when addressing this issue. 

In response to concerns raised, the committee agreed that Condition 7 to the planning permission be further amended to allow for the Travel Plan to be implemented within 2 months of the new sixth form building being brought into use. 

Resolved: That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the committee with the amendments to Condition 7 and the inclusion of the additional condition as set out above.