Alleyns Junior School - planning

[DadOf4]

WelshRich Wrote:

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> Travel Plans and Air Quality Assessments are both,

> amongst many many others, standard requirements

> for planning applications these days across London

> boroughs. All part of being accountable and open

> to scrutiny. Not to submit them would be open to

> alternative criticisms

Nope - not in this case anyway.

No air quality assessment (of any kind) was provided with the planning application - that was added, much later, after the numerous objections

There was an initial travel plan - but did not really "admit" that there was much of a problem - but a new one has been added, again after all of the objections

[Mrs Townley]

It is disappointing to see Alleyn's being singled out as the source of air pollution problems in Dulwich. Bad air quality can't be pinned on just the school. Has no one else noticed the presence of builders, plumbers, utility vans etc. during the day? Delivery drivers? No one else use grocery delivery? Or Amazon? We walk to school like many families, but not having a car means we do damage in other ways. It?s a much larger issue than a few extra kids at one local school.

[creditwheredue]

The odd builders can or grocery delivery doesn?t cause the congestion during school hours that Alleyn?s coaches do.

[slarti b]

AlleynView Wrote:

>It is disappointing to see Alleyn's being singled out as the source of air pollution problems in Dulwich...

> in other ways. It?s a much larger issue than a few extra kids at one local school.

I agree that the problem is wider than just Alleyns however they are part of the problem and are making it worse.

This proposal is the latest in a long series of expansions and developments by the foundation schools. These result in considerable disruption and inconvenience for local residents to which the schools seem oblivious. Given the wider catchment area of the foundation schools and the higher proportion of their pupils coming to school by car this also affects air quality and traffic.

[yourmomma]

Received the below today, planning officer is recommending that the proposal is approved...

I write to inform you that the above planning application will be considered by the Council?s Planning Committee through a Virtual Meeting due to measures put in place by the Government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .

Date: 9th June 2020

Time: 19:00

If you would like to take part in the virtual meeting, please contact the Council's constitutional team, who will send you a link and further information on how to join the meeting: Email: [email protected] Phone: 020 7525 7420 (for main planning and sub-committee A) and 020 7525 7234 (for sub-committee B).

The recommendation from officers is to approve planning permission.

My report on the application sets out the material planning considerations that have led to my recommendation. You can read my report on the Council?s website using this link:https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/PLAN/19/AP/5616 and selecting the document called "Officers report". Alternatively, you can search for the application on the council's planning register by accessing http://planning.southwark.gov.uk, and then searching for application 19/AP/5616.

[yourmomma]

Hilariously they have uploaded a new parking survey that suggests that parking is not an issue in the surrounding streets, well why then have the council just instigated a CPZ in those very same streets!

[James Barber]

Alleyn's could always offer to accept a legal agreement (S106) that x% more than currently who live and remain living within walking distance of the school. Say 1km. It wouldn't guarantee they walk to school but it would significantly increase the chance they walk to school.

A two form entry primary school is considered better to run by the educationalists I've spoken to over the years.

The issue is people deriving the extra kids to school. The school could propose something that resolves this. If it doesn't then it really isn't trying to address the main issues of objectors.

[Glemham]

If the Council agree to this application then they will be driving a coach and horses through their Our Healthy Streets proposals which are still subject to consultation. Unless Alleyn?s commits to only accepting children from the local area who will be able get to school without being driven, this expansion will add more cars to an area already at saturation point during term time.

In the current COVID 19 situation it is likely that when the older children return to school their parents will, understandably, be reluctant for them to use public transport. As so many come from some distance this will no doubt lead to a rise in the numbers coming by car.

At the very least the Council should consider adjourning this application until such time as it will be possible to know for certain just how pupils of all ages will be travelling to Alleyn?s (and other schools in the area)in future.

[first mate]

yourmomma Wrote:

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> Hilariously they have uploaded a new parking

> survey that suggests that parking is not an issue

> in the surrounding streets, well why then have the

> council just instigated a CPZ in those very same

> streets!

Because it is a load of b*** that's why. They are making it up as they go along, shifting the goal posts each time per specific goal.Their parking surveys for planning purposes are 'cooked' and so in turn are their surveys for CPZ.

[seenbeen]

TheCat Wrote:

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> If they guarantee places to local kids, I won't

> object....

I dare you to drive up to Francesca Cabrini school at chucking out time...or ANY 'faith' primary school.....you might change your tune. I might have a walk round and check out St Anthony's' traffic when we are back to normal! (did I need 2 apostrophes there- I think so)

[goldilocks]

its the 4th, the committee is convening on the 9th. The officers report is still not showing on the council website.

[Glemham]

Yes it is and they support it. But now the application has been removed from the agenda and will not be considered. A new date is to be fixed.

[jamesmcash]

My fellow Goose Green councillors and I will speak at the committee meeting when it is eventually held, to raise some of our concerns.

If you have strong views on this application - positive or negative - please let us know.

Best wishes

James

[DadOf4]

@jamesmcash - would really appreciate your representation on this. Alleyns seem to be playing the game of "this is only a tiny incremental change". The fact is that ANY change to this already unsustainable problem is not acceptable

I have no fundamental problem with a school (whether state or independently funded) wanting to create more classrooms - but I do have a problem with a school that has blatantly shown disregard for local traffic and pollution issues trying to mask the problem through skewed reports and vague initiatives.

By way of illustration, the Upper School (6th Form) handbook sent out to students only a week ago

has a section on students who drive to school "Pupils who drive to School must show due consideration to our neighbours when parking, and should not obstruct driveways, public thoroughfares or access to properties"

This is not a policy from an organisation that genuinely is trying to reduce car use

IMO this planning permission should only be given on the basis that firm/legal commitments are made on the initives that Alleyns claim they are implmenting

[intexasatthe moment]

Just looking at the documentation on line .This is v telling .

Total Consulted: 273 Comments Received: 107 Objections: 98 Supporting: 2

[northernmonkey]

I think this is the key point. I don't care whether Alleyn's have 30 kids or 60 kids in their junior intake. What i do care very much about is the impact their model has on the air quality locally. The report talks vaguely about things that 'might be available' and cherry picks air quality monitoring ignoring the closest monitor which shows illegal pollution levels and picks ones further away on quiet residential streets which are restricted as school streets.

To the extent that this planning permission is given i would like it to be given only on the understanding that Alleyns implement a school street on Hillsboro Road, Townley Road and Greendale. Preventing drop off right outside the school will be key to reducing parents driving there - and making the Hillsboro Road route safer provides an alternative cycling route to much of East Dulwich Grove for families cycling to school.

DadOf4 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> @jamesmcash - would really appreciate your

> representation on this. Alleyns seem to be playing

> the game of "this is only a tiny incremental

> change". The fact is that ANY change to this

> already unsustainable problem is not acceptable

>

>

> I have no fundamental problem with a school

> (whether state or independently funded) wanting to

> create more classrooms - but I do have a problem

> with a school that has blatantly shown disregard

> for local traffic and pollution issues trying to

> mask the problem through skewed reports and vague

> initiatives.

>

> By way of illustration, the Upper School (6th

> Form) handbook sent out to students only a week

> ago

> has a section on students who drive to school

> "Pupils who drive to School must show due

> consideration to our neighbours when parking, and

> should not obstruct driveways, public

> thoroughfares or access to properties"

>

> This is not a policy from an organisation that

> genuinely is trying to reduce car use

>

> IMO this planning permission should only be given

> on the basis that firm/legal commitments are made

> on the initives that Alleyns claim they are

> implmenting

[seenbeen]

The fact that we have the Dulwich Estate and the Foundation schools here means that we all enjoy the environs as opposed to living in a total concrete hell hole. (especially during the lockdown when the playing field was open- I notice that Southwark didn't open up its playing fields on the South Circular)

Anyway, I'm sure we are all well aware of the extra volume of traffic at 'school run' time and try to avoid it....and hardly any of it will be due to private schools as only 7% of British children are privately educated and 1% of those are boarding - so only 6% of British schoolchildren travel on a daily basis to and from school and quite a few use public transport as I have seen in Dulwich alone.

[mlteenie]

There are plenty of private school kids who are driven (and even drive.....) to school in this area precisely because of the number of those schools. We see it every day of normal school term. Anyone round here knows the streets are relatively empty of cars when it is holiday time.

[redpost]

Those figures are national averages and will include the many public schools in rural areas where pollution is less of a problem. This area is over-represented with public schools, the roads are busy and therefore the public schools generate a very significant amount of traffic and pollution.

seenbeen Wrote:

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> The fact that we have the Dulwich Estate and the

> Foundation schools here means that we all enjoy

> the environs as opposed to living in a total

> concrete hell hole. (especially during the

> lockdown when the playing field was open- I notice

> that Southwark didn't open up its playing fields

> on the South Circular)

>

> Anyway, I'm sure we are all well aware of the

> extra volume of traffic at 'school run' time and

> try to avoid it....and hardly any of it will be

> due to private schools as only 7% of British

> children are privately educated and 1% of those

> are boarding - so only 6% of British

> schoolchildren travel on a daily basis to and from

> school and quite a few use public transport as I

> have seen in Dulwich alone.

[James Barber]

The application has just been approved by Southwark Council Planning Sub Committee A.

Local Cllr Charlie Smith in his evidence as a ward Councillor shared the latest Man Utd vs. Southampton football result update - sad that he didn't take this process or the 97 objections seriously.

[northernmonkey]

I'm disappointed that this has been waived through and that the clear misuse of data in the air quality information wasn't taken seriously. It may be that Charlie Smith has clear plans to how the effect of increased traffic volumes of parents driving can be mitigated - and if this is the case, then great. At a minimum though it feels like a wasted opportunity to get a school street on Hillsboro and Greendale and more patrols on Townley provided by Alleyns - private 'security type' personnel could have provided a valuable service in preventing illegal parking which is a large problem when the schools are fully in session as more parents compete to park in an area with insufficient parking to meet demand.

[Asset]

Yes well. I?ve just had to go round and complain about the pneumatic drilling that started at 7.30am. Illegally. So it starts.

I have also logged a complaint with the council.

[James Barber]

Always good to complain to the school Bursar [email protected] . I've always found them responsive.

[Asset]

I'm sure the bursar rolls his eyes when he sees yet another email from me in his inbox.

[Asset]

Alleyn's are currently taking down a very old and beautiful evergreen tree, possibly a cedar, because the roots are interfering with the new building (topic of this thread).

Would they have got planning permission if they had said the tree had to come down?

Such a shame. Nothing wrong with the tree other than it's 'in the way'.