Project:

St Andrew’s Primary School, Jenkins Street, Newport

Authority: Newport City Council

Proposed Development:

The proposed scheme comprised the demolition of the existing Junior block, and the construction of a single new block incorporating Junior teaching accommodation and ancillary spaces, plus remodelling works within the existing blocks to reconfigure departments.

Planning Issues:

Education development is classified as highly vulnerable development. The site lies within Flood Zone C1, as defined by Natural Resources Wales (NRW)’s Development Advice Map (DAM). In accordance with TAN 15 (Development and Flood Risk), this designation means the application site is located within an area of the flood plain, which is developed and served by significant infrastructure, including flood defences. As the site is shown to be at risk on both the DAM and the FMfP maps, the proposed development needed a Flood Consequence Assessment (FCA) to demonstrate that the flood risk can be acceptably managed in line with current national planning policy.

Although the Junior block is not a listed building or a locally listed building, its design is of architectural interest. However, the Junior block had experienced significant structural issues due to complex foundation defects, which resulted in a health and safety risk justifying the demolition of the block. The new block needed to be designed to integrate with the remaining existing buildings on site.

Result:

KEW Planning conducted the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC); prepared the Planning, Design and Access Statement, reviewed all the technical documents and co-ordinated the submission of the planning application.  KEW Planning was instrumental in engaging with planning officers to agree revisions to the façade treatment and building materials.  The application received was approved at planning committee in July 2023 and is in construction, due to open in September 2024.