Three-classroom school building at Barnwell Middle School, Stevenage

What was proposed

A single-storey modular building would provide three classrooms and an office at Site C, with hard landscaping around it.

“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 C.”

Officer report

The site and its surroundings

The site is Barnwell Middle School, with existing school blocks, suburban homes, detached properties and a church nearby.

“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”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

The school has had earlier classroom, learning-support, mobile-classroom, sports-court and floodlighting applications, while Sites A and B were considered separately.

“04/00026/REG3 Mobile learning support unit 19.02.2004 NOOBJ”

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

Officer report

Consultation responses

Highways, environmental health, arboriculture, conservation and Sport England raised no objection, with conditions proposed for environmental health matters.

“DC88 5. CONSULTATIONS 5.1. Herts County Council as Highways Authority 5.1.1 The applicant has submitted 3 separate applications (SV/22564/2024; SV/22536/2024; SV/22537/2024) to identify different potential locations for the new classroom building, the design of which will not change. Bearing in mind these are all within the school complex, it is considered that any of these identified locations will not result in any significant highways implications.”

“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.”

Officer report

Public comments

No comments were received after letters, site notices and a press notice were used to notify people about the application.

“This application covers Site C. Sites A and B are dealt with under separate cover. PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS 4.1 Following notification of the application via letters, a site notices, and a press notice, no comments were received.”

Officer report

The decision

“that planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions and informatives: 1 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: BMS-MB 05; BMS-MB 06; 2 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission. 3 The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the proposed development hereby permitted shall as per the submitted plans and associated documents to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. 4 If the implementation of this planning permission would result in the Published Admissions Number (PAN) exceeding 270 students then a further planning application shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority to assess any potential impacts. 5 No demolition or construction work, i”

Minutes, 19 Feb 2025