King’s under fire for changing new school plans
KING’S is facing a backlash for changes to its controversial plans to build a new school in green belt.
The school was given the green light by Cheshire East council last year to sell three of its sites for housing in order to build a new school on farmland at Alderley Road, Prestbury.
But now King’s are proposing to reduce the scale of the main building, increase the size of the sports building and pavilion, rearrange the sports pitches, and change the car park and bus drop-off points.
It is also proposing to install dozens of 20ft tall lamp posts on the campus.
In a letter to neighbours Dr Simon Hyde, headteacher at King’s, described the changes to the Derby Fields project as ‘relatively modest’.
Savills, the planning agent, said planning officers agreed that the changes could be achieved as ‘minor material amendment application’.
But Prestbury Parish Council claim the revisions are so significant it needs a fresh planning application.
In a statement on the council’s planning portal, the parish council said 90 lamp posts would have ‘an extremely adverse impact on both the residents and the night sky and wildlife’ and were at odds with the ‘low level’ lighting in the approved plans.
Stephen Truswell, of Chelford Road, Macclesfield, commented that the proposed lamp posts were ‘far too tall and completely inappropriate in the green belt’.
Dr Gordon Currie, of Alderley Road, Macclesfield, added: “This plan will urbanise the green belt beyond what is necessary for the school to function effectively.”
Another unnamed objector, of Alderley Road, accused the applicant of being ‘disingenuous’ by withdrawing its plan for ‘low level’ lighting after getting approval.
In a letter to residents headteacher Dr Simon Hyde, said: “The length of the service road has been reduced to provide a shorter and more direct route through the site.
“The layout of the sports pitches has been rearranged to improve functionality for the school. An internal reconfiguration of the main school building has resulted in a reduced footprint and changes to some elevations.”
As it stands the new plans will be decided by planning officers not elected members. Anyone wanting to comment has until July 20.