Council Planners at it Again

Councillors have today rejected plans to secure Chapeltown Academy’s location on a business park in a shock twist.

The free school is already open on Hydra Business Park, Nether Lane, under one year’s permitted development rights but proposals to formalise it and make it a permanent facility were before Sheffield Council this afternoon.

The plans were set for approval, but councillors decided to overturn that recommendation.

They feared the location was ‘unsuitable’, that there could be road safety problems with industrial traffic and future developments on the park could be ‘compromised’ as they would have to co-exist with the educational setting.

Some comments in favour were made, stressing that at least the unit would not be left empty and there had been no safety problems since the school opened in September.

But Coun Peter Price said: “I can’t support this development - its the last place I’d put a school to be honest, an industrial site away from housing.

“We are here as planners, not educationalists, to look at the planning implications and long term future of this city. If something happens at this school I don’t want it to come back and people say ‘why did you give that permission?”

After the meeting academy headteacher Rebecca Maxted, when asked if there would be an appeal against the decision, said she would now seek advice.

Speaking at the planning and highways committee earlier, she said that ‘a couple of hundred people are waiting back at the academy for the decision’.

She said there was already a nursery on the park and there would soon be a tutoring school also.

She said: “A lot of businesses on the Hydra park are not heavy industry, they are architects or interior designers. It has been said we are on an unsuitable location but we did quite a lot of surveys with the staff, students and parents and they all felt it was extremely safe.”

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/council/education/councillors-reject-plans-to-secure-chapeltown-academy-location-1-7036358

Seems reasonable enough arguments against granting it to me, I dont know any other schools on industrial estates.

Seems reasonable enough arguments against granting it to me, I dont know any other schools on industrial estates.

Hillsborough College for one.

Hillsborough College for one.

How far is that away from housing compared to this one? Same age groups attending both?

I dont know the answers, its a genuine question.

I assume the Hillsborough example then was cited in support of this application?

To be fair there is a car garage/showroom there and what looks like a truck repair place so I'd imagine there's a fair bit of traffic coming through.

Other schools usually have fences, gates and stuff to keep the kids contained and away from traffic - and then crossings and lollypop people to manage traffic when they're out of school.

How far is that away from housing compared to this one? Same age groups attending both?

 

I dont know the answers, its a genuine question.

 

I assume the Hillsborough example then was cited in support of this application?

I'm reasonably confident when I say Chapeltown Academy is nearer to large housing areas than Hillsborough.

The problem here is Sheffield Council tried to get the academy stopped from day one. It threw up various objections and had some local MP's behind it. It failed.

The academy opened in September and is due to start a rebuilding programme to convert a large warehouse to more classrooms / other amenities. The council have now found another way to object and throw a spanner in the works.

BTW

the only 'Heavy Industry' on Hydra park is a Renault Truck servicing depot. As has been stated already there's been a childrens play area / nursery there for a number of years without incident.

---------- Post added 07-01-2015 at 12:02 ----------

To be fair there is a car garage/showroom there and what looks like a truck repair place so I'd imagine there's a fair bit of traffic coming through.

 

Other schools usually have fences, gates and stuff to keep the kids contained and away from traffic - and then crossings and lollypop people to manage traffic when they're out of school.

The academy is fenced off from the rest of the estate.

Oh and this is 6th form - the youngest pupil is 16, they aren't 'kids'.

I heard a rumour ages ago that this could happen. Its the councils last ditch attempt to scupper the academy because it doesn't fit in with their political ideology. Hoping that the Academy successfully appeals this decision .

The new school under construction at don valley is being built in an industrial area, being the councils pet project they pushed it through planning no problem...

The new school under construction at don valley is being built in an industrial area, being the councils pet project they pushed it through planning no problem...

If that's the one on the old DVS site it's not just an industrial area, being on a former sports site near houses, shops and the tram.

But Coun Peter Price said: “I can’t support this development - its the last place I’d put a school to be honest, an industrial site away from housing.

One of the main benefits of Chapel town Academy in pupils and parents eyes is that its saving travel to 6th forms in the South of the City which are much further away from pupils homes than Hydra Business Park. I've visited the site in my opinion its very safe and secure and will be easy to pick up and drop off pupils there. Very poor excuses from Cllr Price.

Councillors have today rejected plans to secure Chapeltown Academy’s location on a business park in a shock twist.

 

I can't believe that it has taken this long to get to a decision. It doesn't leave the Academy much time to find somewhere for September

 

But Coun Peter Price said: “I can’t support this development - its the last place I’d put a school to be honest, an industrial site away from housing.

 

“We are here as planners, not educationalists, to look at the planning implications and long term future of this city. If something happens at this school I don’t want it to come back and people say ‘why did you give that permission?”

 

I fully support the Academy and think it is a brilliant addition to the post 16 education provision in that area. However, I have to agree with Peter Price's comments too

 

 

PS I put my comments in blue in the above message to show the quoted text more easily. I've cut some of the text from the quoted sections but not changed the original poster's message significantly

 

After the meeting academy headteacher Rebecca Maxted, when asked if there would be an appeal against the decision, said she would now seek advice.

 

Ms Maxted - if you read this message - put your efforts and money into finding a new building instead of appealing

 

She said there was already a nursery on the park and there would soon be a tutoring school also.

 

Nursery children will be taken into the building by parents, as will the majority of the tutoring school attendees. They won't be teenagers who will be chatting, texting, flirting etc as they walk along only half aware of the traffic

 

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/council/education/councillors-reject-plans-to-secure-chapeltown-academy-location-1-7036358

Other schools usually have fences, gates and stuff to keep the kids contained and away from traffic - and then crossings and lollypop people to manage traffic when they're out of school.

This Academy is a 6th form college for young people 16-18 - 6th form's never have crossings or lollypop people

I'm reasonably confident when I say Chapeltown Academy is nearer to large housing areas than Hillsborough.

 

The problem here is Sheffield Council tried to get the academy stopped from day one. It threw up various objections and had some local MP's behind it. It failed.

I agree re the distance to housing

I also agree - the Council didn't want this because it would add extra pressure re student numbers (and reduced funding) for Sheffield College and Longley Park Sixth Form

I heard a rumour ages ago that this could happen. Its the councils last ditch attempt to scupper the academy because it doesn't fit in with their political ideology. Hoping that the Academy successfully appeals this decision .

The Hillsbrough MP was on the radio earlier this year saying that there were problems with the Academy being ready for students to start in September. She said that they didn't have a suitable building and inferred that parents should consider sending their children elsewhere

I hope the Academy doesn't appeal and puts it's time and money into finding an alternative building so they can continue to operate in September

The new school under construction at don valley is being built in an industrial area, being the councils pet project they pushed it through planning no problem...

Of course it did!! Despite the fact that the students will have to go from Tinsley (which I understand will become almost its catchment area) and walk past a very busy IKEA and the Arena junction unless they pay for the tram

I agree with the comment earlier about the Council never wanting this Academy. I am amazed that the Dept of Education agreed the funding and contracts for this Academy to open without the security of premises in place.

I really hope they find a suitable building. The NE of Sheffield and surrounding area young people deserve a strong sixth form.

---------- Post added 07-01-2015 at 20:33 ----------

I've just looked at the Chapeltown Academy website - the press release is interesting - http://www.chapeltownacademy.com/news/pressrelease.html I would love to know how they can be so confident that the planning decision will be overturned so quickly

If that's the one on the old DVS site it's not just an industrial area, being on a former sports site near houses, shops and the tram.

its in middle of nowhere