Penrith school could get new extensions with new classrooms
A PENRITH school could get new extensions and alterations if the plans are approved by Westmorland & Furness Council's Eden local area planning committee next week.
Members are due to meet at the town's Voreda House on Wednesday (June 11) to consider the planning application for Beaconside C of E Primary School in Hutton Hill.
It is being considered by councillors because the application is from the council and the recommendation to grant planning permission is contrary to the recommendation of Penrith town council.
According to the report concerns have been raised regarding the number of available staff car parking spaces and the increase in traffic at normal school drop-off and pick-up times.
The report states: 'The highway authority consider that the level of parking is in line with the guidance set out in the Cumbria Development Design Guide, and they do not object to the proposed increase to the size of the school.'
According to the report the full planning application for extensions and alterations to the existing school to allow for an increase to the existing Published Admission Number (PAN) from 73 to 90 which would provide an additional 119 pupil places from reception year to year six.
The report states: 'This application proposes two new single storey classroom extensions. The first is for two new Key Stage 1 (KS1) classrooms measuring 63 square metres internal floor space each with a total new building gross internal area of 155.7 square metres.
'This extension will be located at the west edge of the school next to the staff car parking area and will be 26 metres from the road, Hutton Hill/Brent Road.
'The second, for Key Stage 2 (KS2), will have three classrooms measuring 55 square metres each, along with staff space, toilets and plant room, with a new build gross internal area of 269 square metres.
'The extension will be located in the southern section of the school where the existing storage unit and library bus are positioned but they will be relocated elsewhere within the school grounds.'
In a response from the town council it states that it recognises the importance of educational development and that Beaconside School has been chosen as the school where growth will occur.
It adds: 'It also believes that the application fails to adequately address several significant concerns related to the transport statement and travel plan relating to topography of the town, highway safety, public transport access and compliance with the relevant national and local planning policies.
'There is concern that the amount of parking for staff, 33 spaces, based on Cumbria County Council's Parking Standards is insufficient for 70 FTE staff.'
The town council also raised concerns relating public transport within Penrith because the buses do not run at times corresponding with start and finish times at the school.
The council received three letters of objection which raised concerns including:
The road infrastructure surrounding the school cannot cope with the existing levels of traffic;
There is already a major problem with the huge number of pupils who arrive and depart by car which are parked on the roadside and footpaths that impede visibility;
That additional vehicles will be extremely unsafe for children, parents and local residents;
Suggest an environmental impact assessment and ongoing monitoring of the traffic levels in the local area;
Suggests that a wider impact assessment is carried out to ensure the expansion of the school does not result in other local primary schools becoming unsustainable.
And there was one letter of support which supported the requirement for extra capacity in the school especially with the huge volume of new houses being built around Penrith.
The report states: 'However, concern is with the volume of additional traffic that the proposed development will create.
'Suggest that the use of school buses and walking buses be developed which would be more sustainable.'
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