Chauncy Community Partnership

Chauncy Community Partnership – Working Together, Building The Future

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Update: 30th January 2015

Our planning application for the sale of the lower field as an enabling development for our Sports Hall is with East Herts District Council.
We consulted at two meetings, plus one with councillors and we ran an online Facebook survey of views.

There are 2 separate planning applications:

Sports Hall Ref No: 3/14/2250/FP
Housing Ref No: 3/14/2292/FP

Some local residents oppose both aspects of the proposals and have made their objections in writing to EHDC.

Some parents may wish to give their written views to EHDC and we have had requests for a letter template in support of the proposals which can be downloaded here:

TEMPLATE LETTER IN SUPPORT OF THE SPORTS HALL PROPOSAL

Letters should be sent, in the next few days please, to:

Planning Department, East Herts District Council, Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford, Herts, SG13 8EQ

or sent by e-mail to: planning@eastherts.gov.uk

Dennis O’Sullivan (Headteacher)

Online Resources:

The Proposal

Chauncy Community Partnership is an exciting and innovative local partnership between Chauncy School and Riversmead Housing Association. Through efficient use of redundant school land, the partnership will deliver a new state of the art sports hall and 8 new classrooms, whilst also constructing 50 new quality homes, helping to meet local housing needs. The new sports hall and classrooms will be entirely funded through the land arrangement with Riversmead delivering excellent value for the school and the local community.

Providing a new sports facility is only possible by providing housing on the unused lower field; this is a reciprocal arrangement where both must happen as individually each is not viable. We have therefore spent a long time securing the best possible deal for the school and for the proposals.

Sites

The sports hall site is located to the west of the existing tennis courts extending towards the woodland area. This site provides a natural shield from its neighbours and is easily accessible for the students and visitors. Any trees that need to be removed due to the impact of the sports centre will be replaced and additional planting will also be added to ensure that we maintain and enhance the natural environment of the school. The lower playing field has been unsuitable for the use of the school for many years; due to the fall in levels between this field and the main sports field it cannot be supervised. It therefore provides an ideal site for a self-contained development of housing which isn’t overlooked and doesn’t impact on the school or our neighbours.

The Sports Centre and Classrooms

The main feature of the sports hall is the architectural tensile membrane covering which allows sunlight to permeate into the building to create a pleasant, light and airy feel. The uniformity and amount of diffused light ensures occupants don’t suffer from glare whilst reliance on artificial lighting during daylight hours is significantly reduced making a more energy efficient building. The hall will not only provide a high quality sports facility that will enable our students to further excel in sport but will also provide a big enough hall that can accommodate students during the exam period. In the evenings the school can let out the sports hall to private local groups that are currently unable to secure sporting facilities within the local community. The building will be more than just a sports hall; internally the building will accommodate ancillary rooms allowing everything to be under one roof with changing rooms, shower facilities, fitness suites, offices, viewing balconies and importantly a further 8 classrooms. The scheme will not only enhance our sporting provision but will further raised our high levels of teaching and learning within the school and the wider community.

Housing Proposal

The idea for the design of the houses is to create an inward looking development that creates a community focused around a central communal green which will include flowerbeds, planters and an area for children to play. This communal area helps to create an inclusive environment and connect residents. This will form a larger distance between the houses and the industrial buildings opposite the school.

All of the dwellings are designed to suit the needs of the modern family. They are all compliant with Secured By Design and Lifetime homes ensuring that the dwellings can adapt to the changing needs of their residents. One block of flats will also contain a lift to accommodate active elderly residents. Riversmead Housing Association are looking to provide private and affordable properties in a range of sizes and tenures, to suit the needs of families in Hertfordshire. We are proposing the development of 50 no. dwellings comprising of:

26 no. 3 bedroom houses
18 no. 2 bedroom flats
6 no. 1 bedroom flats

Parking has been indicated within the site to ensure that the development has no adverse effect on the existing roads. An adequate number of parking spaces have been provided to comply with council policy. Each house has its own garden space and all dwellings will have secure bicycle storage in order to promote cycling around Ware and Hertford. In putting together our proposals we have sought to address East Hertfordshire’s core strategic objectives of People, Place and Prosperity. By designing homes that fulfil the needs of a cross section of local people we are able to create a friendly environment and form links with the wider community, allowing residents to prosper.

Housing Site Proposal 10 — Housing Site Proposal

Our proposal aims to create a community and the arrangement of dwellings is key to achieving this. The 26 houses and 3 blocks of flats have been positioned to create an open, friendly community atmosphere and encourage interaction between occupants via the provision of a shared green space featuring play space for children and a community garden. This arrangement which overlooks the communal green allows for natural surveillance of the parking and shared areas, creating a safe environment. The proposal has been designed to fit in with the neighbouring houses. Contextual materials will be proposed to ensure that the development does not appear to be obtrusive but instead settles into the surrounding environment. Chauncy School and Riversmead Housing Association have been working in partnership to ensure that these proposals ensure a high quality provision for both the educational and residential needs of Ware and its wider community.