Issue - meetings

Demolition of existing front boundary wall and erection of replacement wall and railings including vehicle and pedestrian gates; fencing and associated alterations to parking layout at Christ Church C of E School, Rickmansworth Road, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission be granted.

Councillor Fraser left the meeting room.

The application was for demolition of existing front boundary wall and erection of replacement wall and railings including vehicle and pedestrian gates; fencing and associated alterations to parking layout at Christ Church C of E School, Rickmansworth Road, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth.

The Planning Officer reported that Chorleywood Parish Council had been re-consulted on the amended plans and advised that it wished to withdraw its call-in. Whilst the Parish Council felt that the proposal still resulted in harm to the conservation area, it considered that this had been reduced such that on balance the public benefits probably outweighed the harm.

The Planning Officer also reported that the Designing Out Crime Officer at Hertfordshire Constabulary had advised that they had visited the school in November 2021 to review the security and safeguarding, and from a crime prevention and security perspective they would support this application for a replacement perimeter wall and fencing.

Parish Councillor Jon Bishop of Chorleywood Parish Council spoke on the application.

Committee Members asked questions about the detail of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·         The safeguarding concerns, and the current poor condition of the wall, were recognised.  However, the wall was an integral part of the setting of Christ Church, which was a Grade II* listed building.  Several Committee Members considered that by virtue of its height and design the proposed replacement did not retain the character of the existing wall or the designated heritage asset.

·         Conditions would be included to require the submission of proposed materials and the re-purposing of salvageable flint to ensure that the materials used were as sensitive as possible to the surrounding Conservation Area and the setting of the listed church, albeit that the wall would be of a greater height than the existing.

·         Officers considered that the proposal provided benefits which outweighed the identified low level of less than substantial harm to designated heritage assets. 

·         A Committee Member noted that the Conservation Officer had commented that the option to repair and rebuild only damaged sections of the wall had not been clearly explored.  It was recommended that this should be investigated with the applicant.

·         Committee Members also requested that further information should be sought from the applicant in relation to specific safeguarding concerns, including the number and nature of any incidents, in order to help assess whether the harm to the heritage asset arising from the proposal was justified.

Councillor Morris moved, and Councillor Lloyd seconded, that the application be deferred to allow for further discussions with the applicant regarding the height and design of the proposal.  On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being 6 in favour, 0 against, 4 abstentions.

RESOLVED: that the application be deferred to allow for further discussions with the applicant regarding the height and design of the proposal.

Councillor Fraser re-joined the meeting.