Agenda item

External lighting units on school buildings (retrospective).

Members considered a Full Application, submitted by LCCS Education Services for external lighting units on the school buildings (retrospective).

Officers updated that a revised plan had now been submitted which showed the light by the school entrance in the correct position and that Condition 1 would require amendment to reflect this. Details of two additional letters from residents of 7 School Lane were reported which related to the brightness of the lights, impact on the area and that the lights were not turned off at 8pm which affected the residential amenity and was not energy efficient. It was reported that correspondence had been received from the agent confirming that the timer had been set correctly but did not appear to be working properly and a letter from the head teacher stating that the regularity of break ins etc had reduced since the lights were fitted.

It was reported that Officers had visited the site on 24 January at 20:30 and that the lights had not been turned off and that those on School Lane were bright and shone along the street. It was therefore recommended that Condition 3 be amended to include “internal shields” and for the works to be completed within one month of the permission to protect the amenity of local residents.

Officers also requested the inclusion of an additional condition, relating to cabling and junction boxes associated with the external lighting, which had been included as Condition 2 in the Listed Building Application, to also be repeated in this application.

Members expressed concerns regarding damage to the Listed Building and questioned advice given to schools when such works were undertaken. The Chair confirmed that the internal processes followed when works were proposed on school buildings would be thoroughly examined, in the light of the present retrospective applications.

RESOLVED:That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report and the following additional and amended conditions:

                              Amended Conditions 1 and 3:

 1            The development hereby permitted shall be carried out only in accordance with the following plans and other submitted details:-

Drawing no. RBS 050103/E1 dated May/June 2005 and revised 11.1.07 and manufacturer's details of 'Thorlux Mercian' lighting;

or any plans or details subsequently agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority as an amendment to the approved plans.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure that the development is carried out only as approved by the Local Planning Authority.

 3            The two lighting units on the front elevation of the building facing School Lane shall not be illuminated between 20:00 and 06:30 next day at all times.  These lights shall be screened in accordance with details to be agreed in writing and installed within one month from the date of the permission.

Reason: To protect the residential amenity of neighbouring occupants and prevent glare in the interests of highway safety.

Additional condition:

The following works shall be undertaken to the cabling and junction boxes associated with the external lighting hereby approved within two months of the date of this approval:

-                                             the cabling routed across the southern-most gable on the front elevation of the building shall be repositioned to be 50mm lower;

-                                             the junction boxes and cabling located on the front elevation of the building shall be painted or colour finished dark brown.

-                     the cabling routed around the eastern-most pier buttress on the northern elevation of the front building shall be repositioned in accordance with details to be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority beforehand and shall be painted or colour finished dark brown.

Reason: In order to preserve the special interest of this Grade II listed building.

REASON:                 In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal, subject to the conditions listed in the report, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to the special interest of the listed building, character and appearance of the conservation, visual amenity, residential amenity and highway safety.  As such the proposal complies with Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment, Policy E4 of the North Yorkshire County Structure Plan (Alteration No.3 Adopted 1995), Policies GP1, GP3, GP18, HE2, HE3 and HE4 of the City of York Draft Local Plan (incorporating 4th set of changes, April 2005) and planning guidelines in the Heslington Village Design Statement (2004).