Agenda item

Erect building for use as Learning Resource Centre. (with variation of conditions 2 & 3 of planning permission P/FUL/2022/02607 to amend plans & materials).

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. The application was to erect a building for use as a learning resource centre (with variation of conditions 2 and 3 of planning permission P/FUL/2022/02607 to amend plans and materials.

Public Participation

Catherine Cresswell Headteacher Cerne Abbas CE VC First School spoke in support of the application. She informed that the Cerne Abbas village was a remarkably 'together' community and equally remarkable was the close relationship that exists between our school and that community. The school was housed in a very old building, in fact, it is the oldest working school building in Dorset. The building was not listed and though attractive, it was designed for a very different and much earlier generation of school children so over time has had to undergo a number of adaptations. The teaching and staff areas were very cramped and finding sufficient space for the many needs of modern children was problematic. The funding formula for schools was heavily dependent on pupil numbers and even small changes can make the difference between budget balance and budget deficit. The school was in the fortunate position of being the only small school in the Salisbury Diocese with growing pupil numbers but as a result, there is currently a class of 29 children in a room that is far too small for them. The tables needed to be arranged in rows and the teacher was unable to reach all the children without moving furniture out of the way. The original plan, to relocate the school on the Simsay site, was abandoned some years ago by the Local Authority. However, they have recognised our increasingly desperate need for more space and is funding the proposed Learning Resource Centre.

The school wants to continue the success but can only do this if there are adequate facilities for the children and maintain the pupil numbers which, in turn, bring in sufficient resources to fund these facilities.

This is the second time that the plans for the Learning Resource Centre had been brought to the Planning Committee as the architects have been required to respond to various concerns about its environmental impact in an area of outstanding natural beauty. She accepted that any addition to the school buildings should be pleasing to the eye and not at odds with the local building style and earnestly believe that the updated proposals for the Learning Resource Centre have managed to fulfil this requirement whilst also delivering a building with a very specific function which will satisfy a desperate need.

She asked for help in enabling construction of the Learning Resource Centre for the School - this was the final window of opportunity to have the new teaching area expansion completed in time for it to be up and running for the new intake of pupils in September.

No Member questions and comments.

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application and an understanding of all this entailed; having considered the officer’s report and presentation; the written representatives; and what they had heard at the meeting, a motion to APPROVE the officer’s recommendation to GRANT planning permission as recommended, was proposed by Cllr Major, and seconded by Cllr Taylor.

Decision: To grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the officer’s report.