Primary school expansion at Malmesbury C Of E Primary School, Malmesbury

What was proposed

The school would grow from 420 to 630 places, with classrooms, a hall, parking, access, routes, play areas and landscaping.

“PL/2025/07919 Site Address Malmesbury C Of E Primary School, Tetbury Hill, Malmesbury, SN16 9JR Proposal Extension of Malmesbury Primary School from 420 to 630 places by building nine additional classrooms and associated facilities, and a multi-purpose hall. Internal alterations to the existing building.”

Officer report

Site and setting

The site is beside the existing school on land allocated for school expansion through housing development obligations.

“The application site comprises land allocated for school expansion as part of the s106 obligations for the Backbridge Farm housing development. The development comprises an extension of the school to provide up to 190 additional school places in nine additional…”

“The proposed development is on land which is adjacent to the existing Malmesbury CP School and would be a sustainable form of development in the context of the Malmesbury settlement which would accord with the aims and intentions of development plan policies which seek to ensure provision for educational facilities is secured as housing provision is increased.”

Officer report

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended permission, concluding that the scheme would provide a high-quality school environment and avoid unacceptable highway and road-network impacts.

“It would deliver a high-quality environment for the future pupils and teaching staff of the school and would facilitate alterations to the existing school building and will provide for a school expansion that sits comfortably within the site and in terms of its relationship with the settlement.”

“The new vehicular access and small staff car parking area would supplement the existing access and parking arrangement to the front of the school. It would not result in conditions prejudicial to highway safety and would not place unacceptable impacts on the capacity of the local road network at its operational phase due to it being an extension to the existing school within a sustainable location where it is accessible to the local population through various modes including…”

Officer report

Main issues considered

The committee considered school-place need, open space, residential amenity, access, landscape, flooding, design, sustainability and consultation.

“Key issues included but were not limited to the principle of development including given the level of need for school places, impact on open space provision, residential amenity, access, landscape impact, and flood risks. There was an update to the recommendation to include requiring completion of a deed…”

“Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions on the applications. Details were sought on flood zoning and attenuation, use of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) facility proposed, access to the staff car park, design of the new structures, sustainability, level of consultation, and obligations on the local authority on maintaining appropriate numbers of available school places.”

Minutes

Who spoke

A governors’ chair spoke against the application, the headteacher spoke in support, and the local member also supported it.

Committee debate

Members supported the opportunity and design but also questioned the need for places and possible effects on other local schools.

“The Committee debated the application, with comments supportive of the opportunity provided by the extension and the design of the new facilities. Other comments were concerned about the lack of clear need for additional school places and potential impact on other schools in the area.”

Minutes

Decision

The committee delegated authority to grant permission subject to conditions, monitoring contributions and a legal agreement change covering public open space.

“At the conclusion of debate, and on the motion of Cllr Gavin Grant, seconded by Cllr Ashley O’Neill, it was then…”

“That authority be delegated to the Head of Development Management to GRANT full planning permission subject to conditions as set out below and completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to secure monitoring contributions, and completion of Deed of Variation to Section 106 legal agreement to amend Public Open Space obligation.”

Minutes