High school redevelopment at Upton by Chester High School, Upton, Chester

What was proposed

The scheme would replace most school buildings with a new three-storey school, refurbish The Hub, and reconfigure playing fields, access, parking and landscaping.

“Description of development: Redevelopment of Upton-by-Chester High School including: demolition of existing buildings and erection of a new school building; refurbishment of retained school building; relocation of modular classroom unit and school storage containers; stand-alone canopies; installation of solar panels; landscaping, playing field, and car park and access reconfiguration including bus bays; together with associated cycle parking, substation, and air-source heat…”

“The site is located in Upton, a primarily residential area of Chester, around 2 miles from Chester city centre. The site is around 5.3ha and currently consists of around 17 buildings which range between one and three storeys in height. The buildings are located along the west of the site, close to the main vehicle access off St James Avenue. The existing buildings were predominantly constructed in the 1960-70s.”

Officer report

The site

The school occupies about 5.3 hectares in a residential part of Upton, with existing buildings, playing fields, sports facilities and a Scheduled Monument.

“The school has a floodlit MUGA (2x small football pitches/3x tennis courts) as well as a floodlit hard court MUGA. The school owns the freehold title for the land where the buildings and playing fields are located as well as the land where the Sports Club pitches are located across the A41, the school leases the playing fields to the Sports Club but also currently has some use of the facilities.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

Earlier permissions covered mobile classrooms, a temporary classroom, a classroom block, a floodlit games area and a library building.

“24/01812/FUL: Siting of 4no mobile classroom units (retrospective application): Approved 2024”

“19/03349/FUL: Erection of a single storey portakabin classroom building for a temporary period of 12 months: Approved 2019”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers considered that the replacement school would improve community facilities, meet educational needs, provide a better learning environment and comply with planning requirements subject to conditions.

“LP1 STRAT11 sets out that to ensure the delivery of infrastructure improvements, to secure the future of sustainable communities throughout Cheshire West and Chester, and meet the wider sustainability objectives of the borough, the Council will support measures to protect, enhance or improve access to existing facilities, services and amenities that contribute to the quality of life of residents, businesses and visitors and also facilitate the timely provision of…”

“The new building has been designed to meet the DfE Output Specification, including a bio-solar roof (green roof with PV panels) large window openings for light and ventilation and, internally, the layout and each individual classroom designed to achieve appropriate acoustic conditions for learning.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Most consultees raised no objections subject to conditions, while the parish council supported replacement buildings but raised concerns about construction, sustainability, ecology, open space and heritage.

“Parish Council- support the principle of replacing the buildings however raise a number of concerns including compliance with sustainable construction policy, transport impacts of the construction phase as well as ecology, open space and heritage impacts.”

“Environmental Protection-No objections subject to conditions related to air quality, dust management construction noise and kitchen odour. The Officer has also commented that they would have no objections to lighting and noise of the sports pitch being resolved through conditions.”

Officer report

What people said

Objections concerned the building’s appearance, construction traffic, walking and cycling, and parking, while supporting comments welcomed replacing unattractive buildings with one unified school.

“Highway Safety –several concerns have been raised around the impacts of the construction traffic, siting that the surrounding highway network is already very busy and the additional vehicles would result in an adverse highway safety impact. The comments also indicate that the Travel Plan and Transport Plan do not increase the attractiveness of walking/cycling to the site.”

“The existing buildings have little architectural merit and replacing them with a single unified building would improve the visual amenity of the area. Comments also stipulate that the scale layout and form are visually acceptable.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A parish council representative and the applicant spoke, and a written statement from a ward member was read to the committee.

Members’ questions

Members discussed the construction timetable, sprinklers, pupil access, sports facilities, CCTV, design quality and construction traffic on St James Avenue.

“Members raised the following Queries • As the applicant had advised an opening date of Sep 2027, but the parish council had advised 2028, by stating three years from demolition. Could officers confirm the correct timeline? • Members expressed concerns over a lack of sprinklers, they requested to know if buildings over 11 metres do require sprinklers and whether there was a ‘loophole.’ • How would pupils access during construction • What sport facilities were to be available…”

“Officers responded as follows • Officers advised a crossover in dates, could have originated form when the new build would be operational which was to 2027, however once the old building being removed was set to be 2028, as part of the construction plan we do not specify the dates of the phases, Planning is not in control of the timeline.”

Minutes

The vote and decision

The committee unanimously approved the application subject to the recommended conditions, including controls on construction, drainage, biodiversity, access, landscaping and sports facilities.

“A proposal to approve the application, subject to conditions in the report was passed unanimously.”

Minutes