KINGSTON AND NORTH KINGSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD

Conservation Areas Advisory Committee

PLANNING APPLICATION COMMENT FORM DATE: 12 September 2018

CA5

RBK ref: 18/14595/FUL

Address: Park Hill School, 8 Queens Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 7SH Planning Officer: Development Control Officer

Description of proposed works: Demolition of existing structures. Erection of a new three storey teaching block to the rear of the existing Park Hill School comprising 6 new classrooms and WC facilities.Within the Liverpool Road conservation area.

APPRAISAL

By full committee on …… 12 September 2018 …… with …… 5 …… members present

Issued on 19 Sep 2018

1. Positive support		2. No objection
3. Objection	X	4. Objection unless revised as below
5. No comment/neutral		6. Lack of detail
7. Decision already issued

Reason for objection:

The rationale for the CAAC objection to this application is two-fold:
1. It is in contravention to planning policy on highway safety and parking provision. Park Hill School is situated on a busy road with limited car parking provision which is mostly utilised by local residents and rail commuters throughout the day. There is, therefore, no space for parents to park in the vicinity of the school in order to safely deposit and collect their children from the school premises without causing traffic disruption and impacting on highway safety. The traffic congestion caused the influx of cars at the beginning and end of the school day also causes friction between parents and local residents with occasional altercations. The planning application is for the erection of a three storey teaching block to provide more space for nursery school children, from two years of age. The increase in the number of very young children accessing this site from vehicles stopped on a busy road gives cause for concern. The school has provided statistics that show that some 51% of the children travel to school by car but no car parking facilities of any sort are to be provided. The Travel Plan suggested by the school proposes that this deficiency can be overcome by persuading parents to car share or use public transport even though some children live more than five km from the school. This planning application is therefore, objected to on the grounds that it is contrary to planning policy on highway safety and parking provision.
2. It represents overdevelopment with adverse impact on this approach road to Richmond Park. Queen's Road is the main approach to Richmond Park in the Borough. Overall, it is an elegant street with a predominance of Victorian Villas. Buildings of note include the Victorian Grade 2 listed St Paul's Church and the Albert Pub. There are also some unremarkable mid 20th century blocks of 3-4 storey flats: These detract from the street's elegance and should in no way be held as a precedent for further such development, even if sited in back gardens as this proposal is. Furthermore, traffic congestion also detracts from the Victorian elegance of this approach to Richmond Park and the School's proposals will exacerbate this enormously.