Special school £12m expansion approved

PLANS to expand a special school onto a second site in Clevedon have been approved despite more than 1,000 objections.

Councillor David Shopland led the charge against the development in the green belt in Brookfield Walk, branding it a “disastrous blow” for the town and claiming there were better locations elsewhere.

The £12million project will create 12 classrooms for pupils from pre-school to age 19, bathrooms, offices, a sports hall, a dining area, a kitchen and a hydrotherapy pool.

It will boost the number of places Weston’s Baytree School has for youngsters with special needs and severe and profound learning difficulties from 72 to 120.

To go ahead North Somerset Council’s decision will need to be signed off by the secretary of state due to the flood risk and the impact on the green belt.

Speaking at the council’s planning meeting on September 16, Cllr Shopland said: “Not one of the objectors disputes the need for a school of this sort.

“We believe this is not the right site. There are others more suitable in the ownership of this council.”

The council-owned site in Brookfield Walk was selected from more than 500 options after an “exhaustive”

search. Despite being in the green belt and at risk of flooding, planning officers said it was the “only viable option”.

But Cllr Shopland contended that there were three sites in the area that were all owned by the council that were better suited, including Pennyfields, which once had planning permission for a 210space primary school.

He added: “This is a matter for great public concern in Clevedon. Many residents believe this is an attempt to deprive them of a longstanding piece of open space.

“I’m ashamed to go out and meet the people I represent because I can’t answer their questions.”

The application was met with 1,083 objections and 651 letters of support.

Jakobus Vanblerk – who last month tried get the site listed as a town green – said the development would leave “one of the most deprived communities in North Somerset even more disadvantaged”. He said the people of Clevedon had told the council the site was wrong, and it should have been discounted from the authority’s search because of its size and the distance to the town centre.

Clevedon Town Council and the Clevedon Civic Society both objected, as did the Environment Agency, which had serious concerns about the flood risk and warned that failing defences was an “ever-present danger”.

Planning officers said a flood evacuation plan was in place.

Supporters urged the council to approve the development and show its commitment to local children and young people with complex needs.

Seconding a motion to approve the application, Cllr Richard Westwood said the Pennyfields itself had been controversial, and warned that a “very real possibility” for Brookfield Walk was its development with 50 homes if the Government relaxes the planning rules.

The committee voted to approve the application.

The decision must now be referred to the secretary of state, who can either allow the council to go ahead and issue its decision or “call in” the application and have a public inquiry.