Stoughton Grange School

Status as of October 2008

Carebase are about to submit a planning amendment including the following: 

• Covered walkway between some blocks
• Moving the bin store
• Internal changes – including a provision for a small number of visitors to stay overnight to support a relative who is critical

Carebase wrote to the association seeking our involvement prior to submitting an application to the council.  We met with them, together with our councillors and a group of residents and agreed the following:

1. Everyone thanked Carebase for involving the local community

2. The Association and the group of residents agreed that the changes to the application were not material

3. The Association would not be recommending objection to this application.

4. The site is unlikely on current timescales to be redeveloped this year. In the meantime neighbouring residents would like the overgrown nature of trees and hedges to be rectified, and a general vermin problem to be eradicated (Carebase agreed to both these points)

5. Carebase are mindful of the gas works and will ensure they take this into account when considering timescales

6. Carebase will circulate pictures when the final application is made so that residents can see that changes are minimal. 

All in all a good meeting and a model for how planning should be done.

Status as of July 2007

As part of the planning process, the council draws up a legal agreement with developers known a section 106 to ensure plans go ahead as approved.  In the long period leading up to the the council's approval of these plans, SCA negotiated a number of agreements with the developers, Carebase.  The council accepted many of these, but felt that some were unenforceable and refused to include them - you may have read letters in the Surrey Advertiser about this.  Nevertheless, SCA hopes that Carebase will continue to honour their agreement.

Agreements that GBC included in the S106 Planning Conditions

1. No construction at weekends

Explanation: Residents deserve a rest on Saturdays from the disruption of building.

2. No deliveries before 9:15

Explanation: It will not be possible for construction traffic to get down Harts Gardens before this time – and it will be dangerous when children are on their way to school.

3. No deliveries during Northmead School pick-up times

Explanation: It will not be possible for construction traffic to get down Harts Gardens at these times – and it will be dangerous for the children.

4. No deliveries after 6pm.

Explanation: Allow a cut-off time for residents to relax.

5. No deliveries at weekends.

Explanation: Allow a cut-off time for residents to relax.

6. Silencers will be used on pile-driving equipment.

Explanation: Ease the burden on residents during construction.

Agreements that GBC included in the S106 Informatives

1. No construction traffic (including workmen’s vehicles) will use the south end of  Grange Road at any time (from school side entrance, Grange Road to Stoughton Road).

Explanation: This stretch of road can take no more traffic.

2. Agents of Carebase to provide one hour a week, at reasonable time, for Residents to meet and discuss ongoing problems.

Explanation: Residents accept that in spite of the best intentions of Carebase issues will arise that will require resolving. Weekly meetings with the site manager will facilitate this process.

Other Agreements negotiated by SCA

1. Delivery vehicles will be held outside the ward of Stoughton during times that Deliveries are not allowed.

Explanation: Delivery lorries for other developments in Stoughton have been parking on the pavement in Grange Road. A holding site needs to be identified – it is felt unlikely that this exists within Stoughton.

2. No parking of any construction traffic in Grange Road, Harts Gardens, North Road or Little Street at any time.

Explanation: There are only the pavements left!

3. Once built no delivery lorries will use the south end of  Grange Road at any time (from school side entrance, Grange Road to Stoughton Road).

Explanation: This stretch of road can take no more traffic

4. Residents with properties abutting the school property will be entitled to a free survey provided by the agents of Carebase – this will be extended to properties adjoining those (semi-detached).

Explanation: Residents are concerned that construction will damage their properties. A survey before construction starts will minimise any disputes.

5. Carebase will agree reasonable landscaping mitigation with residents that own properties abutting the school property.

Explanation: Residents who live closest to this property will be at a disadvantage and Carebase have agreed to discuss and agree landscaping that can mitigate the impact.

6. Residents will agree parking restrictions with the agents to enable safe passage of delivery vehicles down Harts Gardens – this to be for reasonable amounts of time.

Explanation: We are pleased that someone in this whole process is willing to admit that access represents a problem and residents are keen to work with Carebase on mitigation.

Planning History

Application 07/P/00621 was submitted [Registered 26/03/07] for two, two storey buildings containing eight care apartments each and a part two / part three storey building containing eight care apartments and a fifty bed care home with associated parking and landscaping following demolition of existing school buildings.

This application was submitted following a consultation process whereby residents and SCA were briefed in March. Representations were made by residents and SCA on the suitability of some aspects of the plan. They are woefully short of parking spaces in the original plans (19 spaces for 44 staff and 76 residents) and we will be objecting if the plans are unaltered.

In spite of promises that all queries would be answered and taken into account, SCA only received a communication from the developers after the plans were submitted, and nothing more than a promise to get back to us.  Prior to the application being heard at the planning committee a short series of meetings were held between Carebase and SCA where a number of agreements were amicably made (see above).

Because of local concerns about excessive traffic and the imperative to protect wildlife on Whitmoor common, the County Council (SCC) has restricted development to Class C2.  C2 can be a care home for old age, drugs or alcohol dependency or child care.    Carebase say it will be a care home for old people of the same type they operate further up Grange Road.

SCA regard this as a win because of the effort put in by local residents to avoid further housing development on the area has apparently been heeded.  Instead of 44 new houses with cars and parking, there will now be a care home. 

SCA are disappointed the County refused to consider putting the land aside for recreational or community use, and understand the reason for this is because the council have a statutory responsibility to get the best achievable.  SCA do not understand why financial gain outweighs quality of life in this instance.

After a site visit 14th June, plans were approved at planning committee on 26th June 2007.  See here for a copy of the officer's report to the meeting.

Residents are now concerned about how the development will be carried out.  In the past, GBC planning department have ignored warnings from residents about working hours on site allowing lorries to travel along our busy roads during peak times.  GBC have previously said that restricting movements is difficult to enforce.  SCA know that residents are willing to help enforce conditions, as they did when QE Park was being developed and contractors ignored conditions about building fires,  making noise and dust.  In this case there will be extreme difficulty for large vehicles gaining access via Harts Gardens or direct from Grange Road.  Residents also want to be assured contractors will repair any damage to local roads after they have left.

SCA will continue to monitor the situation.

Extract from the Drives Jonas web-site.

description: Stoughton Grange is a former Junior School which closed in 2000. General consent to the disposal of the land and buildings has been obtained from the DfES and the site is now offered for sale, presenting an exciting opportunity for residential redevelopment.

The site extends to approximately 0.69Ha (1.71 acres) and presently incorporates a range of school buildings dating from the early 1900s. We are not aware of any listed buildings on site. The site does not fall within a conservation area.

The buildings form a single storey U-shape around a central surfaced courtyard and are constructed to double storey height in part. The site is mainly level with mature vegetation delineating much of the boundary, screening the site from the neighbouring properties. A bund runs along the western boundary of the site.

size: 0.69 hectares (1.71 acres)

current use: Former school site, now vacant.

planning status: The relevant Local Planning Authority for the site is Guildford Borough Council. The existing planning use is education (Use Class Order D1). The site lies within the Urban Area Redevelopment Zone around Guildford where the principle of redevlopment is acceptable. The site may be suitable for residential redevelopment subject to planning and density guidelines set out in PPG 3 would apply. The Borough Council's affordable housing policy is currently set a provision of 30% as standard with a site threshold of 0.5Ha or 15 units.