Bell Cornwell Projects

Extension to School in Countryside - Edgbarrow School, Crowthorne, Berks

Client: Edgbarrow School
Architects: Bracknell Forest Borough Council
Local Authority: Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bell Cornwell assisted Edgbarrow School in obtaining planning permission for a new Sixth Form Building, required as a result of recent and forecasted rises in pupil spaces across the school.

However, the planning application was complicated by virtue of the site being outside the defined settlement boundary where development is restricted, and a requirement to avoid the loss of usable playing field, where liaison with Sports England was necessary.

The planning application was able to demonstrate the need for the new building, which could not be reasonably located off site, given its close relationship with the workings of the school. It also provided evidence to show how it would comply with the remaining development plan policies.

As owners of the site the local authority decided that it was also necessary to defer the decision on the application, as a departure to the development plan, to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE). This was to ensure that no conflict of interest would arise by them approving the application themselves. Subsequently GOSE deferred the planning application back to the Local Planning Authority for approval.

Bell Cornwell acted as an advisor to the school, together with providing the supporting planning statement and liaison with Statutory Consultees/GOSE.

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