Detached nursery classroom and screening at The Secret Garden Attenborough Day Nursery And Pre School Shady Lane Attenborough

What was proposed

The application proposed a single-storey detached nursery room for babies and two-year-olds, with 3m-high boundary screening.

“The application seeks planning permission to construct a single storey detached nursery room and 3m high screening.”

“The detached nursery room would be limited to between 6 x babies and 10 x 2 year olds. It would have one room and w/c facilities including a baby change and a sink. The cabin would be situated to the south east corner of the site, it would be a width of 7m and a depth of 4.3m. Windows and doors would be limited to the front elevation, facing north west into the site, with two full height windows either side of the central bi-folds doors.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The nursery site lies in the Attenborough Conservation Area beside tennis facilities and homes, with walls, fencing and landscaping along neighbouring boundaries.

“Neighbouring to the east is Attenborough Tennis Club, bounding the site playground is a car park with the tennis pavilion north east of this, bounding along the rest of the site are tennis courts with high mesh fencing.”

“The proposal site is situated within the Attenborough Conservation Area. The immediate area is generally residential with detached houses, though the lane provides access to the nursery, tennis club, a place of worship and other sporting facilities.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

Earlier proposals for a portable classroom, rear extension and detached classroom were refused for design, parking or flood-risk reasons.

“Planning ref. 92/00089/FUL to install a portacabin, towards Shady Lane, as a classroom was refused on design and character in the Conservation Area and parking (portacabin circled red). 92/00089/FUL ERECT PORTABLE CLASSROOM UNIT REF”

“A similar proposal to the current application was refused planning permission on 24/00300/FUL, for the following reason: • The site lies within Flood Zone 2 and 3 and the submitted Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) fails to demonstrate how the proposal would be protected from flooding.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, finding the revised scheme acceptable in design, conservation, neighbour amenity, highway safety and flood-risk terms.

“The veranda would sit 1m above ground level. The steps leading up to the veranda have been placed away from the neighbouring residential boundary and the screening on the boundary wall would be of a timber nature and placed on the wall to the rear of the site, therefore not towards the public highway so visibility of the trellis would be limited outside the site.”

“The benefits of the proposal are that it would be of an acceptable design and would not result in significant harm to Attenborough Conservation Area, would be an acceptable development within the Flood Zone, would not have a significant negative impact on neighbour amenity and would be in accordance with the policies contained within the development plan.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

The Environment Agency and Conservation Officer raised no objections subject to conditions, while residents objected on several amenity, access and design grounds.

“Environment Agency – no objections subject to a condition being included in relation to the submitted flood risk assessment.”

“Conservation Officer – no objections. I note the previous proposal - which I did not object to - was rejected on flooding issues. The resubmission, which has marginally revised internal floor space and external footprint, is still considered acceptable. It is single storey, with an acceptable design code and it will not unduly harm the character and appearance of the Attenborough Conservation Area.”

Officer report

Support and concerns

A councillor supported the nursery’s local value and design, while another councillor requested committee consideration because of neighbour and amenity concerns.

“Councillors • Councillor H Faccio – comment in support of the proposal, wants to make it clear that her son currently attends this day nursery but at a different site, Summarised: • Nursery is a valuable amenity to the local community. • Highly rated by Ofsted. • The nursery is not based on a large site, with the proposal making intelligent use of the space available.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant and an objector made representations before the committee’s general debate.

The committee debate

Members discussed changing the boundary treatment, including its relationship with the wall, raised platform and trees.

“After given due consideration to all of the evidence before it the Committee commenced the debate with particular reference to a suggestion that the boundary treatment be changed. The boundary wall, raised platform and trees were also discussed.”

“It was proposed by Councillor D D Pringle and seconded by Councillor S P Jeremiah that condition 4 be amended to ensure the boundary wall was not touched by the screening fence. On being put to the meeting the motion was carried.”

Minutes