Rosebery School Planning Application refused

The Planning Committee has refused the application from Rosebery School to build 72 houses and flats on part of their playing fields. The school had claimed it was necessary to fund improved sports facilities. No planning objection was raised to the proposed new sports hall, tennis court or all-weather pitch, after the school dropped plans to floodlight the pitch and hire out their facilities in the evenings and at weekends. The concerns were entirely with the loss of part of the playing fields and the effects of the new housing in Rosebank.

Proposing refusal, Town ward Lib Dem councillor Colin Taylor pointed to the following departures from the Council's local plan:

• loss of open space;
• effects on Meadow Court, Rosebank;
• pressure on the over-loaded road junction in West Street;
• no road safety improvements at the West Street junction.

The meeting also heard from Lib Dem Cllr Lionel Blackman about objections to the government's agreement to the sale of the land, apparently without following proper procedure or recognising increases in the numbers of pupils. This was ruled to be a different issue to be dealt with separately from the planning application.