Send school plans rejected over poor accessibility

Plans to build a new school have been rejected due to "poor accessibility", a planning inspector said.

Danex Properties Ltd wants to build a special educational needs and disabilities (Send) school for up to 25 seven to 18-year-olds in Conquest Drove, Farcet, Cambridgeshire, close to Peterborough.

Huntingdonshire District Council previously turned down the application because it said it lacked information on the "detrimental impacts on highway safety".

The company appealed against the decision, but a planning inspector also raised "highway safety concerns" and dismissed its appeal.

The developer said the school would be a "unique facility" and provide support in the Huntingdonshire and Peterborough areas.

However, the planning inspector said many pupils would have to travel to the school by car, as they would not be able to walk or cycle there.

It also said the plans only included eight parking spaces, plus two visitor spaces.

"There is no drop off/pick up area for parents' or carers' vehicles proposed in the scheme, which means that once entering the site, drivers may have to reverse back out onto the carriageway and other parents may be forced to wait on the road while the vehicle leaves the site," the inspector said.

The inspectorate pointed out that Conquest Drove was a single-track road and "this level of vehicle movements with no drop off/pick up facility would be unacceptable".

The inspector also said there was no evidence about the level of need for this type of school in the locality.

"Furthermore, I am advised by the council that there are plans to increase special education provision and reduce reliance on placements in independent special schools, other than where already established and in exceptional circumstances," the inspectorate added.

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