New Secondary School for Leckhampton
In February, McLoughlin Planning were heavily involved in the Examination in Public into the emerging Cheltenham Borough Local Plan on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council.
Our involvement was focussed on securing an allocation in Leckhampton for a new Secondary School to meet an identified need. Following the conclusion of the EiP hearings, the Local Plan Inspector provided her Post Hearing Advice Note to Cheltenham Borough Council and recommended that the Borough Council revisited the Secondary School allocation in Leckhampton.
This need to revisit the allocation was driven by the fact that the land allocated for the School was undeliverable and that an alternative site which was solely County controlled was available for development. In response to the Inspector’s advice, the Borough Council made it clear that they accepted the need to revisit the allocation.
In the intervening period, the County Council has prepared and submitted a Planning Application for a 6-Form Entry Secondary School off Kidnapper’s Lane in Leckhampton. Part of the case for the School is based on the emerging Local Plan and the fact that the Inspector recommended that the current allocation should be revisited to better reflect land controlled by the County.
In terms of the progress being made by the Borough Council in dealing with the Inspector’s suggested amendments to the Plan, it is understood that the Officers’ will be going to Council on the 14thOctober with a series of Main Modifications to the Plan, which will address the Inspector’s advice and put the Authority in a position to have their Local Plan found sound and therefore, adopted.
At this stage, it is anticipated that our involvement will realise the County’s aim of securing land for a School allocation and further reinforce the compelling planning case for the new School.
This serves to underline the importance of being involved in the plan making process as well as McLoughlin Planning’s skills and expertise in this matter in terms of promoting a Client’s interests through that process. It is expected that the Council’s consultation on the Main Modifications will commence in November.