Proposed Development of Secondary School,Pioneer Site, Stoke Poges, Bucks SL2Planning application ref: 13/00271/FUL THE PROPOSALChange of use from offices to use as secondary school, incorporating caretakers residence. Extensions to the existing building to provide 2,008m2 (40%) of additional floor space. Alterations to landscaping, access and parking provisions. As part of the planning consultation process you are required to respond to the planning application with your concerns and reasons for objection.

1. NEED2. GREENBELT3. HARM TO AMENITY4. TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC5. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• 1. NEED• The need for a school has been identified in Slough and

NOT South Bucks, which already provides some of the best secondary and grammar schools in the Country; this is why many people choose to live in Stoke Poges.

Figures kindly provided by Malcolm Bridges, Head, Stoke Poges Primary School

• Stoke Poges Primary School has 400 Pupils• 283 families surveyed.• 222 returns i.e, 78.5% response (This is massive)• Answers to the single question: As a parent with a child at The Stoke

Poges School, would you consider sending your child to the proposed new Khalsa Academy, once they reach secondary age?

• Yes = 15 which is 6.75%• No = 207 which is 93.25%• Ethnic mix • 52% white British or Other white • 48% from ethnic minorities. A truly multi cultural school

• CLEARLY THERE IS NO DEMAND FOR A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN STOKE POGES

• 60% of Slough school places are taken up by pupils from outside of the Slough of area. • 2% of School places in Slough are taken up by Pupils from

South Bucks• South Bucks already provides some of the best schools in

the Country both Grammar Schools and Secondary Schools• SB Residents will lose their right to free home to school

transport for their preferred school if this school is allowed to go ahead• SB residents human rights will be affected

2. GREENBELT

• This proposed development for a school which will attract 850 pupils and approx. 70 teachers from outside of Stoke Poges and South Bucks; is considered to be harmful as it is set in a sensitive Green Belt site, adjacent to the Framewood Road Conservation area and in the heart of the rural village of Stoke Poges.• The proposal would result in the loss of a beautiful 11

acre green belt site; the loss of green fields and openness • If permitted this proposal would result in further erosion

of the green belt in favour of urban development in order to meet the need of Slough• Green Belt status should be protected to prevent urban

sprawl from Slough.

• The provision of over 2000 m2 of additional floor space, a 40% increase, along with alterations to the landscape to provide extensive outdoor sporting facilities will harm the Green Belt and views in and out of the Conservation Area.

• In order to protect this green belt site, previous planning permission for office use in 1993 imposed a legal agreement which specifically restricted further development on the site.

• That permission also restricted the numbers of employees permitted on that site to 175 (although it was acknowledged that it could accommodate 400).

• DfE have referred to the fact that the site currently has the potential to accommodate 1,000 employees without planning permission.

• The normal occupancy level adopted by commercial property agents is 1 person per 120 sq ft - this would equate to 404 people.

• The constraints of the site i.e. 180 parking spaces and the absence of any public transport would be a major deterrent to any potential company wishing to employ more than 200 employees.

• 3. HARM TO THE AMENITY• 3.1 The development would be detrimental to the character and appearance

of the conservation area. It will harm the peace and tranquillity currently enjoyed by neighbouring residents. This will be due to significantly increased traffic, noise and light pollution and general disturbance caused by the daily movements of up to a thousand people and the recreational and sports activities undertaken both during schools hours and at evenings and weekends.

• The views into and out of the Conservation Area will be harmed by the proposed extensions on this elevated site.

• This will result in the urbanisation of the rural character of the Conservation Area with the provision of footpaths, street lighting etc.

• 3.2 The elevated position of the buildings and the fact that the land falls away to the south to a stream to the south of School Lane; the land rises again quite sharply up to Farthing Green Lane and Plough Lane so any noise arising from the school; the daily movement between buildings, and recreational and other outside activities will be projected across the valley to the detriment of residents in the vicinity and further afield.

• 4. TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC• The proposed development is not sustainable. There is practically no

public transport and 98% of the pupils and staff will travel by car and coach from Slough and West London. Significant increases in traffic will have a major impact on the daily lives of residents in Stoke Poges and those who live in the rural lanes of Wexham Street and Hollybush Hill; the additional traffic will impact on the heavily congested road outside Wexham Park Hospital with restricted width and parking on both sides of the road.

• The current offices employ approximately 50 members of staff• The maximum no of employees since the site was developed is 175• There is no public transport in this rural village• The development will result in additional traffic and congestion from • Transporting 850 pupils daily from Slough 70 Teachers and other staff

• No pavements on Hollybush Hill from Wexham Street westwards down to the proposed site, will divert pedestrians/school children through the narrow rural lanes of Hockley Lane, Chapel Lane and Farthing Green Lane to the rear of the site

• Conflict with traffic on Wexham Street in the narrow rural lane and outside Wexham Park Hospital accident and emergency entrance

5. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT• There are vacant premises in Slough, including the Arbour vale

School (currently earmarked for a football club), which would serve the local need and facilitate the use of public transport.

• 98% of the pupils are travelling from Slough and the neighbouring towns

• Offices in Slough which would be more suitable remain vacant • The Arborvale School (next to the existing Khalsa Primary School)

remains empty• Slough is not meeting the educational needs of its pupils• Slough puts priority of the football club over education

• CONCLUSION:

THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE NO BENEFIT TO THE VILLAGERS OF STOKE POGES; THIS

DEVELOPMENT WOULD RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL HARM TO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND WILL AFFECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS

OF RESIDENTS

Contact• Richard Regan-Planning OfficerPlanning DepartmentSouth Bucks District councilCapswoodOxford RoadDenham UB9 4LHRichard.Regan@southbucks.gov.uk • Michael Gove MPSecretary of State for EducationHouse of CommonsLondonSW1A 0AAministers@education.gsi.gov.uk or

office@shca.org.uk

• Dominic Grieve MPBeaconsfield

Constituency Conservative AssociationDisraeli House12 Aylesbury EndBeaconsfield Old TownBuckinghamshireHP9 1LW