Local Planning Authority:

Cardiff City Council 

Proposed Development:

KEW Planning was appointed to submit a Full planning application for the demolition of an existing teaching block and the construction of a two-storey teaching facility (Use Class D2) on the grounds of St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College, creating a gross internal area of 1,017 sqm. 

The new teaching block facilitated the creation of 9no. classrooms, a Lecture Theatre, and ICT facilities to allow the College to expand their academic programme and accommodate circa 150 additional students by 2023/24. 

Planning Issues:

During the Pre-Application Consultation, the local community expressed concerns relating to the capacity of the highway at peak drop off and pick up times on Ty Gwyn Road near the College.  This resulted in communication with the MP and KEW Planning subsequently liaised directly with the MP office to agree that the Traffic Regulation Order would be amended to enforce parking restrictions and also to have an increase in police presence to monitor and enforce the traffic regulations already in place.

Concern was also raised by Cardiff Highways officers relating parking.  KEW Planning, in connection with Apex Transport liaised and agreed the Car Parking Management Plan to agree that no new parking was required as part of the project.

Further planning issues that arose included the close proximity of the new teaching block to a group of mature Horse Chestnut and Pine trees, posing a significant constraint. KEW Planning worked with the project team to ensure that the design and location of the teaching block would not encroach the root protection area of these trees.

• KEW Planning was instrumental in producing the terms of the Unilateral Agreement, laising with all relevant parties and delivering the signed legal agreement.

Result

The planning application was approved via delegated powers on 3 August 2022, with a Unilateral Agreement for contribution towards revisions to the traffic regulation order within the vicinity of the College, in addition to securing the measures in the Travel & Car Parking Management Plans.