The New Town & Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) has backed controversial plans to convert 154 McDonald Road into flats (Ref. 13/02458/FUL).
In a ‘difficult case’, NTBCC acknowledged ‘provision of housing in direct proximity to a primary school could be deemed a material concern in terms of incompatibility’.
However, it pointed to long-established precedents at, for example, Stockbridge PS (see below).
Recognising parents' worries about the impact of nearby dwellings on the amenity of the school, it called for close coordination between the Council's Planning, Building Standards and Education Departments.
'We believe a sound management system will be essential to ensure good working relationships [are] maintained into the future, but we would not see this potential incompatibility as grounds for objection to the scheme.'
NTBCC has concerns that speculators could overcrowd the development in future by letting out properties as HMOs. Strict terms and conditions of purchase should therefore be established to prevent this, it said, and the Council should not issue residents with parking permits for nearby streets. (They described as 'naive' the stuggestion that residents would find the 'rudimentary' Nos 13 and 36 bus services sufficient for all their local travel requirements.)
NTBCC is content at the preservation of the building’s exterior, but expressed particular concern at how this major application has not been subject to the normal Pre-Application Consultation procedure for a scheme of 50+ dwellings. ‘We see absolutely no reason for bending the rules on this or any other such application.’
The deadline for comments to the Council on this application has now passed. The determination is scheduled for Monday 26 August 2013.
For background on this story, see Issues 220–1 and Breaking news (24.6.13; 2.7.13; 18.7.13; 26.7.13).
What do you think about this? Has NTBCC struck a note of reason or do 'long-established precedents' and 'sound management systems' miss the point? Tell us by email spurtle@hotmail.co.uk on Facebook Broughton Spurtle or Twitter @theSpurtle