Napton school's play area has been built in the wrong place, say councillors

A decision to build a play area in the ‘wrong place’ has landed school bosses in hot water after councillors refused to grant retrospective planning permission.

Plans had been approved to create a wet pour play area to the rear of the Arc School in Vicarage Road in Napton together with three teaching pods and an external classroom.

The primary school is a specialist school for children and young people with educational and social needs such as ADHD.

But when the pods were installed they were larger than the ones approved and were placed in a different area as was the play area, prompting complaints from neighbours and the parish council. A path at the rear of the Vicarage Road school had also been moved.

Speaking at the planning committee of Stratford District Council on Wednesday (April 13), planning officer Tony Horton said: “The key issues in this case really relate to the impact that the three teaching pods, realigned path and wet pour play area have on the amenity of neighbouring residential properties in terms of noise, disturbance and privacy.”

The play area is now next to the rear fence of a neighbouring house and owner John Veasey explained how this had impacted him and his family.

He said: “We have lived next to the school for ten years and have never complained about the school before but since the arrival of the wet pour play area it has concentrated all the activity in the area immediately adjacent to the fence which has had a debilitating effect on our health and our ability to function as a family.”

Cllr Rachel Pelter, from Napton Parish Council, added: “The standout issue is the contentious relocation of the wet pour play area without consultation or approval.

“Children attending the school have found learning difficult in mainstream settings and this is a specialised teaching environment with pupils displaying a variety of educational and behavioural needs.

"Their use of language, tone and volume can be challenging and sometimes intimidating.”

Members of the committee agreed that they had no problem with the increased size or location of the teaching pods or with the route of the path. But they were unanimous in their condemnation of the play area site and refused planning permission.

Cllr Andy Crump (Con, Southam South) said: “I am disappointed with this application, it has been built in totally the wrong place.

“We’d had the previous debate during lockdown and it [play area] was put there for a reason so they’ve just gone and totally ignored any pre-commencement conditions particularly around archaeology and drainage and it's located in totally the wrong place.

“I think it will cause significant harm to the amenity of the neighbouring dwelling - loss of privacy as well as noise and disturbance. There are too many imponderables on this one.”