Issue - meetings
047415 - General Matters - Phase 1 - Erection of Primary School, Construction of Access Road, Car Park and Hard and Soft Play Areas at Custom House School, Mold Road, Connah's Quay.
Meeting: 15/05/2013 - Planning & Development Control Committee (Item 10)
Additional documents:
- Enc. 1 for 047415 - General Matters - Phase 1 - Erection of Primary School, Construction of Access Road, Car Park and Hard and Soft Play Areas at Custom House School, Mold Road, Connah's Quay., item 10
PDF 326 KB
- Enc. 2 for 047415 - General Matters - Phase 1 - Erection of Primary School, Construction of Access Road, Car Park and Hard and Soft Play Areas at Custom House School, Mold Road, Connah's Quay., item 10
PDF 414 KB
Decision:
(a) That the submission, content and conclusions of the feasibility study regarding the intended demolition of the Custom House Lane CP school be noted; and
(b) That a photographic record/ catalogue of the historic part of the building be undertaken prior to its demolition.
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning in respect of this application.
The Development Manager detailed the background to the report and explained that the Committee had considered a feasibility study on 23 May 2012 (not 18 April 2012 as reported) to justify the demolition of the Custom HouseLane JuniorCP School, including the historic former NorthopBoard School building. Members had then resolved not to accept the development brief believing that further consideration needed to be given to socio-economic factors in relation to future uses of the historic part of the school building. A further feasibility study had since been submitted, where nine alternative uses had been considered but none of these were found to be viable. Paragraph 6.04 of the report stated that the building had suffered from water ingress and the ongoing security and maintenance costs amounted to £14,000 per annum.
The Development Manager advised that the condition on the original planning permission for the new school had been satisfied through the submission of the feasibility study and any decision as to the retention or otherwise of the former NorthopBoard School building lay outside any planning control. Nevertheless, he added that the information in the feasibility study strengthened the case for demolition of the building.
Councillor A.I. Dunbar proposed the recommendation to note the submission, content and conclusions of the feasibility study regarding the intended demolition of the Custom House Lane CP school. He said that every effort had been made to find an alternative use for the building but this had not been forthcoming. Councillor R.C. Bithell said that it had been the intention of the Committee to explore further uses for the building and as the feasibility study had not identified viable uses, demolition was the correct decision.
Councillor P.G. Heesom said that it was a fact that an alternative use could not be found and that the funds to maintain the building were not available but asked if work could be undertaken to catalogue old buildings such as this and protect or retain some part of them.
RESOLVED:
(a) That the submission, content and conclusions of the feasibility study regarding the intended demolition of the Custom House Lane CP school be noted; and
(b) That a photographic record/ catalogue of the historic part of the building be undertaken prior to its demolition.