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Greenfield School

Authority: Woking borough Council

 

Proposed development:

 

KEW Planning has provided town planning services acting as the agent to deliver planning permission for Greenfield School.  The application was for a new two storey extension, with a gross internal floor area of 2,352sqm (GIA) and the following new sport facilities: 

 

    • 1 no. Multi Use Games Area (MUGA); 
    • 1 no. TAG rugby pitches;
    • 2 no. netball courts;
    • 2 no. 7-a-side football pitches; and
    • 1 no. cricket pitch.

 

Planning issues:

 

The proposed development represents a significant extension to a school building that would result in the loss of playing fields and the loss of urban open space.  The design of the extension (bulk, height and massing) were planning considerations and the loss of playing fields triggers an objection from Sport England.  There were also highways considerations relating to parking; access and trip generation to deal with and ecological issues as bats are present in the areas close to the new MUGA, which is flood lit. 

Result:

 

The Project Team included AStudio (Architecture), Quantem (Project Management and Quantity Surveyors), Jubb (Civil & Structural Engineers), Boon Brown (Landscape Architects), MWL (Building Services & Sustainability) and KEW Planning as planning consultant.

 

KEW Planning provided planning consultancy services, also leading the public consultation process, enabling the preparation and submission of a Detailed Planning Application.  

 

The key focus of engagement early on, was ensuring that a no objection scenario was achieved from Sport England as a result of loss of playing field space, preventing referral to the SoS for determination.  

 

A project with tight timescales, this required effective and targeted negotiations, with the preparation of all technical reports and drawings to be submitted within 12 weeks of appointment in order to secure a submission for October 2019 and delivery of planning permission by March 2020.

 

All of the key milestone dates were hit; KEW Planning liaised and negotiated with Sport England to ensure a ‘no objection’ response and minimal pre-commencement conditions, with challenging parameters.  

 

KEW Planning successfully negotiated with all statutory consultees and had close liaison and built a good relationship with the Planning Officer, to deliver no objections from all parties.  The result was a unanimous approval was achieved at Woking Borough Council Planning Committee.  

 

“KEW Planning provided clear advice from the outset and worked pragmatically with the Project team in order to meet the timescales required. Negotiations and discussions with both the Planning Officer and Sport England enabled a fantastic result and the Client is delighted with the result – A job well done.”  Adrian Lim, Quantem Project Manager