Higham Lane School

Planning application NBB/10CC070 - Background to the application:- Higham Lane School cannot provide adequately for all the students approximately 1230 children at a lunchtime even with the new canteen facility.

The proposal - four areas of the old rear garden will be transformed with new all weather flooring but no protection from the elements to seat an undetermined number of students for eating due to a lack of canteen provision.

Objections :-
1) All the 1230 students should be entitled to seating for the purpose of eating food in an environment that is weather proof can be kept free of litter and vermin and can be cleaned easily.

2) Rubbish and Waste; The application does not include extra waste provision or storage on the four areas even though some areas are already in use.

3) Vermin - Picnic areas provide a place for vermin to eat and the areas will need regular sweeping to clear food debre. The numerous small buildings along site A will provide housing vermin and the pond water. This will potentially increase vermin in the adjacent properties also.

4) Security - The hedge boundary and small rustic intermittant post and rail fencing is likely to be insufficient security fencing for the proposal and must be reviewed under the Policy Env 21." The design of a development should encourage a high level of personal and community safety."

5) Noise - Although residents on Brookdale Road can hear indistinctly the children in the playground they will be encouraged onto the boundaries of our private properties resulting in an increased and intrusive volume of noise.

6) Opening Hours - The school is a community facility open till late in the evening, but accepts no responsibity for how this area is used or who it may attract onto the property after school opening hours.

7) Vandalism - Brookdale Road residents have experienced snooker balls, rubble and rotten fruit thrown into their gardens from the school site sometimes causing damage to the properties and would prefer the school not to provide a platform in the form of tables for this type of behaviour.

8) Drainage - Brookdale Road residents at the bottom of the hill already end up with surface water and sometimes sewage when the drainage system cannot cope at the school as happened last year. More water from increased hardstanding using the SUDS system is not welcome.

9) Consultation - Area D is the largest of the areas and adjacent to the Tennis courts that are used for other sports i.e. Netball. Seating in this area may lead to other developments that should be discussed with residents seperately before being allowed to happen.

10) This consultation does not does not provide local resident without online access a means to inspect the proposal.