New cafeteria extension approved at Wednesfield Academy, Wolverhampton.

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Wednesfield Academy forms part of the University of Wolverhampton Trust and En-Plan were apporvached by the trust in order to gain planinng approval for the proposed new cafetreria extension required as part of the ongoing development and expansion fo the school. Wednesfield Academy is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in the Wednesfield area of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England

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Wednesfield Academy is a secondary school located in Wednesfield, a suburb in the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England.  Wednesfield High School is situated on Lichfield Road East in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. The school serves the local community and surrounding areas. Wednesfield High School is a co-educational comprehensive school, catering to students between the ages of 11 and 16. It provides education in accordance with the National Curriculum of England and Wales. The school offers a range of facilities to support student learning and development. 

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Planning applications for development of schools can be emotive where local resindets are concerned and schools themselves neeed to be responsive given funding and contract limitations.  As such considerable work can be completd under the General Permitted Development Order that from 21 April 2021, the erection, extension, or alteration of a school building is permitted development provided that:

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• The footprint of the extended/new building is no more than 25% of the footprint of the existing building (as it was on 21 April 2021) or 250sqm, whichever is greater.

• the proposed development is not within 5m of the boundary of any residential facilities.

• The height of any new building does not exceed 6m (or 5m if within 10m of a boundary of the curtilage of the premises).

• The height of the building if extended or altered does not exceed its existing height (but if within 10m of the boundary of the curtilage it cannot exceed the lesser of 5m or its existing height).

• The height of any rooftop structure does not exceed 1.5m.

• Any land within the premises which has been used as a playing field in the last five years (and is still used for this purpose) could continue to be used as a playing field after the development has taken place.

• If the school is located within a conservation area, AONB, The Broads, a National Park, World Heritage Site or an area specified by the Secretary of State under s41(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (we can advise if you are unsure) then the materials used on the new or extended building have a similar external appearance to existing buildings.

• The building in question is not listed or in the curtilage of a listed building.

• The development is within the curtilage of buildings where the predominant use is for the provision of education and the new building will also be used for this purpose (or purposes incidental to it).

• where a new or altered school building will result in an increase to the school’s published admission number, a travel plan (a framework for delivering sustainable travel to and from the school) is required to be submitted to the local planning authority (LPA) within six months of completion of the extension.

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The Planning Assessment

 

The City of Wolverhampton Council herby certify that on 6th July 2021 the development described above and in the plans and documents accompanying the application in respect of the land specified would have been lawful within the meaning of Section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), for the following reason(s):-
1. There are no conditions or limitations on the permitted development rights applying to this property which is in use as a school.
2. The development cited in the application received on 6th July 2021 is Permitted Development by virtue of Schedule 2 Part 7, Class M of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (As amended) in that:-
a. The extension does not exceed 250 square metres or 25% of the cumulative footprint of the school as it was on 21st April 2021.
b. No part of the development is within 5 metres of a boundary of the curtilage of

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A Certificate of Lawfulness for the developmet was issued by the Planning Department and the Academy can now progress with the works.

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Further Information

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If you would like to find out more about how our Planning Consultancy and Architectural Design Services can work in perfect sync to achieve a successful outcome in the planning system please CONTACT US and we will be only too happy to talk through any questions or development proposals you may have.

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