Agenda item

Report No: CAB/JT/19/014

Portfolio Holder: SEBC Cllr Susan Glossop

Lead Officers: Julie Baird and Chris Rand

RECOMMENDED TO SEBC COUNCIL: (19 March 2019)

That the development brief for the former Castle Hill Middle School, Haverhill, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/JT/19/014, be adopted as informal planning guidance.

The Joint Committee considered this report, which sought approval for the draft development brief for the former Castle Hill Middle School in Haverhill.

The adopted Haverhill Vision 2031 Local Plan document allocated the site of the former Castle Hill Middle School as a site suitable for development with housing with an indicative capacity of 25 dwellings (Policy HV5c).

Despite being the site of a former school which was destroyed by fire, the allocated housing related solely to part of the playing field and was classified as greenfield.  The area of the allocation was equivalent to the area of the former school buildings. The background explanatory text to Policy HV5 explained that the area occupied by the former school buildings would need to be made available as recreational open space prior to the housing being developed to offset the loss of playing field.

Prior to commencing work on preparation of the development brief, Ingleton Wood as agent for the developer (Barley Homes), undertook an initial consultation event on 14 June 2018, together with extensive engagement with the local community and key stakeholders. This then helped inform the preparation of the draft development brief.

A large part of the brief identified the constraints and opportunities affecting the site. These included identification of existing natural greenspace and features, the relationship with surrounding development, site levels and opportunities for vehicular access and the relationship with the adjoining land which would form recreational open space. A key element was the policy requirement to provide a pedestrian and cycle access linking the site and Chivers Road with the existing schools which were currently accessed solely from School Lane. This would be achieved through the central spine of the site and would have a fundamental influence on the layout of the site and the adjacent recreational open space.

On behalf of Councillor Susan Glossop, Councillor Lance Stanbury, FHDC’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Joint Committee, including that the draft development brief, which was attached as Appendix A, had been prepared in accordance with St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s adopted protocol and was subject to public consultation, as detailed in Section 1.2 of the report. A copy of the Development Brief Consultation Report prepared by Ingleton Wood was attached as Appendix B.  Details of all of the responses received were contained in Appendix C, together with broad details of the location of respondents. Analysis of those responses and consequential changes to the document were contained within sections 4 and 5 of the Consultation Report (Appendix B). 

Adoption of the draft Development Brief, which was subject to Council  approval, would be a key element in the delivery of sustainable development at the former Castle Hill Middle School.

Councillor Sara Mildmay-White, SEBC’s Portfolio Holder and West Suffolk’s Lead Member for Housing, was delighted that this site was coming forward for development by Barley Homes, particularly as it had been empty for a number of years.  The consultation had largely been positive, including support expressed for the proposed provision within the site for a footpath and cycle link to School Lane and the two existing schools.

In response to a question regarding the accuracy of the figures quoted within the draft development brief for proposed affordable rents, this was a typographical error and would be rectified for the final version.

RECOMMENDED TO SEBC COUNCIL: (19 March 2019)

That the development brief for the former Castle Hill Middle School, Haverhill, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: CAB/JT/19/014, be adopted as informal planning guidance.