Road to school set for planners’ rubber stamp (From Gazette)

Road to school set for planners’ rubber stamp

11:00am Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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PLANNERS have been advised to approve a new road – key to a £130million investement for Colchester’s schools.

Colchester Council’s planning committee will decide on two planning applications for an access road for Philip Morant School.

The first bid is to renew an existing agreement for a road to be built through an area known locally as the Green.

Philip Morant insisted it would only take part in a £130million reorganisation of Colchester’s secondary education if the road was built.

A compromise was reached and a second application was submitted for a route to the east, using former allotment land instead.

Planning officers at Colchester Council have recommended members approve both bids when they meet next Thursday.

Two applications have been lodged to maximise the chance of at least one being approved. If the second route, drawn up after discussions between Essex County Council, Colchester Council and residents associations, fails the applicants will appeal.

Because the first application was approved on appeal in 1999, it is likely it will be approved on appeal again.

Painters Corner Residents’ Association, one of the groups which campaigned to protect the Green, is supporting the second application.

Chairman Richard Pettit said the group opposed the first application but “reluctantly” supported the second one.

He said: “Although there would be some loss of former allotment land, a large proportion of the former allotments would remain, with opportunities for creating more public open space or returning it to allotment use. The compromise route would secure the Green as public open space and a safe route for children walking and Cycling to nearby schools.”

The Irvine Road Residents’ Association said it maintains its opposition to both routes.

Chairman Dave Kennedy said: “Philip Morant has never produced any evidence to prove it needs this route. Either route would take away public space – that’s the bottom line.”

The council has received 22 letters opposing the bid.

Colchester Cycling Campaign also wants the application to be rejected unless the school offers to build a new cycle route, a crossing facility, bans sixth formers driving to school, and supports a 20mph speed limit on Prettygate. Pupils and parents will not be allowed to use the access road.

Lorna Kean, chairman of governors at Philip Morant, said of the road plan: “We believe it is required for the safety of the school and all people using it.”