Three-classroom school building at Barnwell Middle School, Stevenage

“Proposal : The provision of a single storey modular building to create 3 additional classrooms and an office, with hard landscaping to and around the building; Site B.”

“SITE DESCRIPTION 1.1 The application site is located on the western side of Shephall Green. The site comprises Barnwell Middle School (formerly Heathcote School) which has a number of single storey and two-storey utilitarian designed school blocks. The blocks are generally a steel frame construction with crittall windows and steel cladding.”

“The surrounding area comprises post-war suburban style terrace properties within regimented building as well as detached properties which have a unique architectural style and a church dating back to the 14 th Century. RELEVANT PLANNING HISORY 2.1 01/00107/REG3 Consultation by Hertfordshire County Council under Regulation 3: Single storey building to accommodate four new classrooms 10.05.2001 OBJ”

“14/00414/FP Installation of 2-class mobile classroom (relocated from Barnwell School East Campus) 12.12.2014 PER”

“24/00706/FPM The provision of a single storey modular building to create 3 additional classrooms and an office, with hard landscaping to and around the building; Site C. PENDING. THE CURRENT APPLICATION 3.1 This application seeks planning permission for the provision of a single storey modular building to create 3 additional classrooms and an office, with hard landscaping around the building.”

“Development Plan 7.3.2 Policies SP8 and GD1 of the Local Plan Partial Review (2024) are deemed to carry significant weight, this is because they generally reflect the good design principles outlined in the NPPF and National Design Guide, i.e., that these policies require developments do not adversely impact the amenities of neighbouring occupiers as a good design principle.”

“Trees, Landscaping, and Playing Fields 7.5.1 Policy NH5 of the adopted Local Plan (2019) states that development proposals will be expected to protect and retain individual trees within the development site and should include new planting where appropriate. In the emerging Local Plan Partial Review and update (2024), policy NH5 is replaced by two new policies: Policy NH5a, which relates to trees and woodland; and Policy NH5b, which relates to tree-lined streets.”

“Shephall Green I live at number 50 Shephall Green so the back of my house overlooks the car park of the school what I would like to know is where about the building is going to be built? How long the work is going to take as the School is noisy enough from the teachers and parents dropping kids off in the morning, also is this going to create more traffic in this road as all the residents on Shephall green struggle to get in and out of our road when we need to get to work…”

“Environmental Health 5.2.1 No objection subject to conditions. Arboricultural and Conservation Manager 5.3.1 30 th October 2024 – I will need to see an Arboricultural Report 5.3.2 18 th November 2024 - I have studied this application and can confirm that I have no objection to option B of this development as long as appropriate protective fencing is installed, prior to the commencement of the building work, to prevent excavations, traffic and material storage, within…”

“The Committee reviewed the application for Site B, which proposed the same single- story design in a different location on the west side of the site. As this site was closer to residential dwellings, an objection had been raised, leading to a condition ensuring the air conditioning units would not cause noise disturbances. Sport England raised no objections or concerns, as the plan did not result in the loss of any sports pitches.”

“* Recorded Vote For – Councillors Julie Ashley-Wren, Stephen Booth, Rob Broom, Kamal Choudhury, Forhad Chowdhury, Nazmin Chowdhury, Lynda Guy, Claire Parris and Carolina Veres Against – 0 Abstentions – 0 Absent – Councillors Peter Clark, Coleen De Freitas, Akin Elekolusi, Ellie Plater and Anne Wells…”

“A recorded vote* was taken on the application and it was RESOLVED that planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions and informatives:”

“The development shall not commence until a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (the HMMP), prepared in accordance with the approved Biodiversity Gain Plan and including: a) a non-technical summary; b) the roles and responsibilities of the people or organisation(s) delivering the HMMP; c) the planned habitat creation and enhancement works to create or improve habitat to achieve the biodiversity net gain in accordance with the approved Biodiversity Gain Plan; d) the…”