Agenda item

A report was presented on an application for three double classroom temporary units, temporary pedestrian access, playground area and fencing at Asmall County Primary School, Tennyson Drive, Ormskirk (retrospective application).

A fire at Asmall Primary School in summer 2021 had rendered six areas of the school inoperable, including the areas used for the nursery classes. There had therefore been an urgent requirement to install these temporary classroom units in August 2021, to ensure continuity of teaching accommodation until the existing school could be rebuilt.  It had been estimated that the rebuilding works would take approximately 18 months and these were already underway.  Once the damaged areas of the school had been rebuilt, the temporary units would be removed.

The report included the views of Sport England and United Utilities. No observations had been received from West Lancashire Borough Council and LCC Highways Development Control. Four representations had been received in relation to this being a retrospective application and concerns around the visual impact of the building/loss of view and impact on house prices. County Councillor Hennessy had indicated her support for the application.

The Development Management Officer presented a Powerpoint presentation showing a location plan of the site, the location of the three classroom blocks and the nearest residential properties. Photographs were also shown providing an aerial view of the site, the fire damaged area of the school building and the view of new classroom units, in addition to elevation diagrams.

Committee expressed concern around the proposed reduction in hours of use of the buildings. The school had requested they be used from 06.00 – 22.00 Monday to Friday and 09.00 – 14.00 Saturdays and Sundays. However, the condition proposed in the report was to reduce these hours to 07.30 – 18.30 Mondays to Fridays (except Public Holidays) and that the building should not be used on Saturdays, Sundays or Public Holidays.

County Councillor Pope asked why the school had not been asked to confirm whether it was happy with the reduced hours. It was reported that the school had been contacted about this but that a response had not been received. The reduced hours allowed for pre-school and after-school provision and took into account the objections of local residents as several houses on Tennyson Drive and Wordsworth Close backed onto the school site and had views of the units.

County Councillor Kay pointed out that if the school provided nursery provision in the temporary classrooms, then they may need to use them from 6.30am in order to prepare for children arriving. Also, the buildings may be used by the community in the evenings so a response from the school was required as to whether they were happy with the reduced hours. County Councillor Kay also asked what would happen if the temporary buildings were not removed by 30^th March 2023, as stated in the conditions. County Councillor Clarke added that school buildings were often used for community activities at weekends.

Andy Mullaney pointed out that the proposed reduction in hours of use only related to the three temporary classrooms and that other parts of the school building could be used outside of these restricted hours. The proposed hours for the temporary buildings were consistent with similar projects across the county although the hours could be adjusted to suit the school's needs. As this was a retrospective application, the school were already operating within the proposed reduction in hours. It was confirmed that another application would need to be considered by Committee, should the duration of the development need extending. Should the school request longer opening hours for the 3 temporary classrooms, consultation would need to take place with local residents. If there were any objections, these would need to be considered by Committee.

The Committee requested that officers contact the school to check whether they were happy with the proposed operating hours as set out in Condition 3, and requested to have sight of the school's response.

Resolved: That planning permission be granted, subject to conditions controlling the duration of the development, working programme, hours of use of the building and restoration of the site, as set out in the Committee report.