St Michaels C of E Junior & Infant School, Nantmel Grove, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3JS

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1 Committee Date: 06/03/2014 Application Number: 2013/08595/PA Accepted: 19/11/2013 Application Type: Full Planning Target Date: 14/01/2014 Ward: Bartley Green St Michaels C of E Junior & Infant School, Nantmel Grove, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3JS Creation of new 16 space staff car park Applicant: Agent: Recommendation Approve Subject To Conditions St Michaels School Nantmel Grove, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3JS TDF Design Associates 202 Spies Lane, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 9SW 1. Proposal 1.1. The proposal is for the creation of a new 16 space staff car park located on a piece of grassed amenity land owned by St. Michaels Junior and Infant School, and located immediately to the north of St. Michaels Nursery building A new 4.5m wide dropped kerb is proposed to be installed off Nantmel Grove to access the new car park. It is proposed that a sliding gate would be installed across the entry to the car park. New 1.8m high railings would be installed along the western and southern edges of the proposed car park The proposed car park would be constructed of a permeable hard surface, with a drainage gulley in the middle of the car park leading to a soakaway, which in itself would have an overflow connecting into the existing storm drain on Nantmel Grove New planting beds are proposed to be created around the northern and eastern edges of the proposed car park, the bed between the car park edge and neighbouring rear gardens of properties fronting Field Lane would be a minimum of 1.5m in width Four new 2m high lighting columns are proposed to be installed around the car park perimeter The proposal would result in the removal of a small number of young trees located down the middle of the site and along the site boundary with the Nursery. The Applicant is proposing to plant 8 new trees within the new planting beds The Applicant is proposing to convert two car park spaces within the existing 12 space car park into disabled access spaces. Proposed Layout Plan Page 1 of 8

2 2. Site & Surroundings 2.1. The application site comprises of a piece of grassed amenity land located between the existing Nursery and the rear gardens of residential properties fronting Field Lane. The site slopes gently down to the boundary with these rear gardens and is often waterlogged. The boundary between the site and the rear gardens of Nos. 76 and 78 Field Lane is defined by high Leylandii hedging, whilst the boundary between the site and the rear garden of No. 80 currently comprises of 2.4m high railings. The boundary between the site and Nantmel Grove is also defined by 2.4m high railings There is a row of young trees located in the middle of the site, and additional young trees located along the site boundary with the Nursery Beyond the single storey Nursery building to the south is the main Junior and Infant School building. There is an existing 12 space staff car park located immediately to the east of the School building. This car park is accessed off the end of Nantmel Grove, which is a short cul-de-sac. There are residential houses fronting the eastern side of Nantmel Grove. Location Map Street View 3. Planning History 3.1. There is no relevant planning history 4. Consultation/PP Responses 4.1. Transportation Development No objection Recommend that the School Travel Plan is updated 4.2. West Midlands Police No objection 4.3. Regulatory Services No objection 4.4. Local residents and Ward Councillors notified One petition of objection received from 6 occupiers of Nos (evens) Field Lane. A further two letters of objection and one letter of general comment received by local residents. The following concerns were raised: Would create further drainage problems to neighbouring residential gardens Would result in loss of privacy to neighbouring residential occupiers Would result in loss of outlook for neighbouring residential occupiers Parking layout is unusable Light pollution from proposed lighting columns would adversely affect residential amenity Would compromise pedestrian safety because of new dropped kerb and removal of safety railings Would generate anti-social behaviour e.g. car park used by children for skateboarding/playing football Noise and fumes from cars would adversely affect residential amenity Would be difficult to cars to use new access with parked cars on Nantmel Grove Page 2 of 8

3 Councillor Bruce Lines Forwarded petition of objection from local residents. Major issue of flooding into the rear of adjoining residential properties. Recommends that should the application be approved a condition be attached to any consent to ensure that sufficient drainage is incorporated. 5. Policy Context 5.1. The following local policies are applicable: Birmingham UDP Draft Birmingham Development Plan Car Parking Guidelines SPD Places for All SPG The following national policies are applicable: National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 6. Planning Considerations 6.1. Paragraph 6.49A of the Birmingham UDP explains that the The City Council s policy is to maintain adequate provision of car parking for essential car journeys while encouraging a greater proportion of public transport, walking and cycling trips. It goes on to explain that The City Council however, recognises that the type of parking required is related to the location and the local situation, particularly in terms of the availability of public transport. Amount of Car Parking 6.2. The Council s Car Parking Guidelines Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) recommends a maximum of one space per two staff in this location. It also recommends a minimum of one disabled access space or 6% of the total capacity be provided on site The School has an existing 12 space car park which is currently fully occupied and experiences problems of cars being blocked in. The School currently employs 50 full time staff. However, due to increases in pupil numbers, 5 additional staff are proposed to be taken on in the coming three years, rising to a total of 55 staff. Therefore, based on the recommendations of the Car Parking Guidelines SPD a maximum of 27 spaces would be required to serve the School. The School currently has 24 cycle storage spaces, well in excess of the recommended provision set out in the Car Parking Guidelines SPD This application originally sought consent for a new 19 space car park. However, Transportation Development raised concerns that the total number of car park spaces provided at the School would have exceeded the maximum 27 spaces recommended by the Car Parking Guidelines SPD. The Applicant has subsequently reduced the number of spaces to be provided in the new car park to 16, and with 10 spaces remaining in the existing car park (two spaces would be converted into disabled access spaces) a total of 26 spaces for the School would be achieved, which would comply with the provisions of the SPD. As such, Transportation Development have raised no objection to the proposal and note there are also parking opportunities on Nantmel Grove and further unrestricted parking opportunities can be found within short waking distance of the site. Page 3 of 8

4 6.5. Transportation Development have advised that the Applicant should be encouraging alternative methods of travel to the private car, particularly sole occupancy trips, and that there has been no update to the School Travel Plan since it was produced in They advise that the Travel Plan is very much in need of updating and as such I recommend that a condition be attached to any consent requiring submission of an updated School Travel Plan prior to the car park becoming operational. Location and Layout of Car Park 6.6. The Applicant has explained that they have looked at other areas of the School site on which to accommodate the car park, but that none of them are as feasible as the proposed location, due to either safety issues with children and/or being impractical with the running of School facilities. In addition, the site provides limited recreational use for school children. It does not form part of a playing field, is often waterlogged, and is located some distance from the School building Amended plans have been submitted which would provide an improved parking layout. The addition of a sliding barrier gate, set back into the site, would ensure that cars do not overhang on to the highway whilst waiting for the gate to open. Transportation Development have raised no concerns in respect of pedestrian or highway safety as a result of the proposed new access being created off Nantmel Grove. Residential Amenity 6.8. I note the concerns of local residents in respect of loss of outlook and privacy. However, the proposed car park would not result in any loss of outlook or privacy for the occupiers of No. 76 and No. 78 Field Lane, given the existence of the tall Leylandii hedge located along this section of the site boundary. Also, amended plans have been submitted which now incorporate a 1.5m wide planting bed located adjacent to rear gardens. This landscaped buffer, supplemented by the 5m deep corner area of planting, would help mitigate against any loss of outlook or privacy for the adjoining occupier at No. 80 Field Lane, who currently has relatively open views on to the site. I recommend that a landscaping condition is attached to any consent to ensure appropriate evergreen species are included for the landscaped buffer The proposed car park, with only 16 spaces, would not be used intensively by staff, with comings and goings of vehicles generally being restricted to arrival, home time and lunchtimes. As such I do not consider the amenity of adjoining occupiers would be harmed as a result of car fumes or noise. I note Regulatory Services have raised no objection to the proposal The proposed car park would be secured by existing and new security fencing and is therefore unlikely to be used by children for anti-social activities. I note West Midlands Police have raised no objection to the proposal. Lighting I consider the addition of four new 2m high lighting columns would be unlikely to adversely affect the amenity of adjoining occupiers, providing such light fittings are angled away from these properties. As such I recommend a condition be attached to any consent requiring further details of lighting and the siting of columns. In addition, I recommend attaching a condition to any consent requiring that any such Page 4 of 8

5 lighting columns are turned off between the hours of 9pm-7am in order to protect residential amenity. Drainage Adjoining residential occupiers whose rear gardens would back on to the proposed car park have raised concerns in respect of appropriate drainage of the site, given existing problems of waterlogging. Waterlogging occurs partly because the land currently slopes down towards rear gardens. The site would need to be re-graded to remove this slope and I recommend attaching a condition to any consent requiring submission of grading details to ensure that the proposed car park does not slope down towards these gardens. Notwithstanding, amended plans have been submitted which show a central drainage gulley incorporated within the car park (indicating the land would now slope down towards the middle of the site), a soakaway and a permeable parking surface. With these measures and appropriate grading of the land I consider drainage problems are unlikely to occur. Indeed, the areas re-profiling and new drainage arrangements may actually lessen the current problems. Trees The Council s Arboricultural Officer has raised no objection to the proposed removal of existing young trees on the application site, noting that these are not of sufficient quality or suitability to resist their removal. I consider the planting of eight new trees on the site would mitigate for the loss of existing trees, and this can be incorporated in to a landscaping condition. 7. Conclusion 7.1. The proposed car park would comply with the Council s Car Parking Guidelines SPD and would not prejudice pedestrian or highway safety. With the inclusion of safeguarding conditions, I am satisfied that the proposal would have no adverse impact on the amenity of adjoining residential occupiers or local drainage. Therefore I consider the proposal would constitute sustainable development and I recommend that planning permission is granted. 8. Recommendation 8.1. Approve Subject to Conditions 1 Requires the scheme to be in accordance with the listed approved plans 2 Requires the prior submission of a drainage scheme 3 Requires the prior submission of soft landscape details 4 Requires the prior submission of hard surfacing materials 5 Requires the prior submission of earthworks details 6 Requires the prior submission of a lighting scheme Page 5 of 8

6 7 Restricts the use of car park lighting between 9pm-7am 8 Requires the submission of an updated School Travel Plan, to be reviewed on a yearly basis 9 Limits the approval to 3 years (Full) Case Officer: Andrew Conroy Page 6 of 8

7 Photo(s) Figure 1 Site boundary with Field Lane properties looking east towards Nantmel Grove Figure 2 Looking west from Nantmel Grove end of site Page 7 of 8

8 Location Plan This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Birmingham City Council. Licence No , 2010 Page 8 of 8