Plans for a new specialist school for up to 140 pupils in Scunthorpe rejected
The proposals were for a site on an Industrial Estate
Plans for an independent specialist school in the middle of a Scunthorpe industrial estate have been rejected by councillors.
Flourish With Us Ltd have already run for over two years a small independent specialist school in Winterton, which has a capacity of up to 35 children. They proposed a significant expansion with a set up instead in Clayfield Road, Scunthorpe, for six years of a school with capacity for up to 140 pupils aged between 5 and 16.
The plan was to convert offices and a warehouse into school facilities. But following a council officer’s recommendation, North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee rejected the proposal.
The school would have been situated in an industrial estate and was rejected primarily because it was felt it would conflict with surrounding land uses. There was also insufficient information in the application on the impact on roads the scheme could have for the council to favour approval.
The planning statement for the proposal submitted by Keystone Architecture Limited says that the school would have concentrated on Key Stage 1 & 2 children with social, emotional and mental health needs from North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, Doncaster and Rotherham councils. It goes onto say: “Without this facility, pupils may miss significant elements of their education as a result of their complex needs”.
The two-storey building currently set up as offices and a warehouse would have been transformed to include individual classrooms, large indoor play areas, a sensory room, special break-out rooms, and an office and staff area. There would also have been a secure outdoor play area, while the external appearance of the building was to remain the same. The application indicated the school would employ 20 full-time and 5 part-time members of staff.
“The site is located on the edge of the industrial site, and will not be affected
by the processes of the adjacent buildings and their operations,” Keystone Architecture Limited argued in the application. All pupils were also expected to arrive by private taxis with none by bus or on foot.
Highways initially did not have significant concerns with the principle of the development, but later sought more information as to expected vehicle movements at the site, particularly for pick up and drop off times. No information on the expected number of vehicles was supplied during the application process. Concern was also raised that the site’s existing parking may become gridlocked with highways unconvinced there would be sufficient width for two vehicles to pass each other.
The building is within Foxhill Industrial Estate and the “sensitive nature” of a proposed specialist school within this area was the main factor behind the school’s rejection. A report to the planning committee by the case officer said a school was “not compatible” with nearby industrial works.
There were also concerns about the impact of industrial noise on pupils: “Children are identified as sensitive receptors and effects from noise within schools include speech interference, disturbance of information extraction, message communication and annoyance”. The increased possibility of children with social, emotional and mental needs running away when arriving and leaving the school was also highlighted.
Within an industrial estate and near a busy main road, Phoenix Parkway, it was noted that were such abscondments to happen, it could lead to health and safety and welfare concerns for individual children. Refusal was recommended by the case officer on three grounds, including that it “would not provide a safe environment for children, staff and visitors, regardless of their background”.
The planning committee agreed and with the exception of one abstention, unanimously voted to refuse planning permission.