Sunderland school expansion can go ahead despite fears over noise, parking problems and house values

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved an application for George Washington Primary School in Washington.

Oak Learning Trust, the multi-academy trust which manages the school, had applied for permission to build a single-storey building with offices, meeting rooms and support rooms, along with extra parking spaces.

A planning application submitted to council officials earlier this year said the building would “provide workstations for the staff of Oak Learning Trust who manage the school” and “spaces supporting the operation of the school”.

It was noted that Oak Learning Trust staff are “currently based in unsuitable spaces” at the primary school and a design and access statement said the new development would bring many benefits.

This includes the new building providing “dedicated space for the trust’s central team based at the school, meeting spaces for the school leadership team and rooms for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), academic and social and mental health interventions and support meetings with parents and pupils”.

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Council documents noted that the multi-purpose building would serve as a “centralised administrative base for the trust”, with meeting spaces providing opportunities to liaise with other Washington-based schools within the trust “on matters of strategic importance”.

A council report added access would be taken “via an existing car park which serves visitors to the school and which, in of itself, takes access from Highfields Manor”.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans however, there were 16 public objections, including a large number of addresses based in Highfields Manor, raising a range of concerns.

This included concerns about impacts on residential amenity in terms of privacy and noise, as well as fears about highway safety and parking pressures, such as parking “overspill” into the surrounding area and potential “indiscriminate parking due to intensification of use”.

Other comments made reference to the exploration of alternative sites, loss of property value and the plans “exacerbating existing drainage issues.”

Council planners, in a decision report, noted the school’s trust had “endeavoured to explore alternative options including rentable office space within Washington, though no opportunities arose”.

The council report added that “locations were said to be available across the wider region though this was overlooked owing to the strategic importance of being within close proximity to the [trust’s] subject schools.”

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After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on December 20, 2024.

Council planners said the plans were acceptable as they were within an “existing urban area [and] in a sustainable location, and [would] operate ancillary to the primary educational use”.

It was noted that there was “no evidence to suggest that a proposal of this nature would cause any adverse impacts in relation to noise from users of the building, or in relation to any other impacts in relation toresidential amenity”.

The council decision report added: “The local highways authority has been in receipt of sufficient information to assess the robustness of submitted details […] and concluded that, subject to fulfilling the requirements of a recommended condition, the proposed development will not give rise to unacceptable impacts that would prejudice nor compromise the highway network.

“Overall, given the comments from the council’s local highway authority, it is considered that the proposed development, subject to compliance with the abovementioned condition, as recommended, would have no unacceptable impacts on the highway network in terms of capacity or safety.

“Furthermore, the local highways authority is satisfied that the proposed development can be served with adequate in-curtilage parking provision and accessed appropriate to the amenity of the locality.”

Planning documents from the applicant said the curtilage of the new building would contain eight new parking spaces, with one of these being a fully accessible space and one an electric vehicle space, as well as cycle storage spaces.

Those behind the wider development said it would “facilitate the future growth of the Oak Learning Trust and improve George Washington Primary School’s ability to deliver first-class education and additional specialist support services”.

A planning supporting statement submitted to council officials noted the plans would “allow the school to better support its most vulnerable families and children” and would “free up space in the school that can be used for educational purposes”.

Plans also aim to “provide separate meeting spaces for the trust and George Washington Primary School leadership team to focus on strategic development while still supporting the school by being on-site”.

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The planning supporting statement added: “By investing in this ancillary new building on the George Washington Primary School site, the trust will improve the quality of education it can offer to its pupils by moving existing staff from spaces within the school designed for education (not administration) by offering dedicated workspaces for central staff members, and providing additional space away from the main school building where sensitive and effective support, intervention and meetings can take place.

“The trust believes this new building accommodating the functions described above will improve its offer to its children, families and communities.”

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plan or council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/01733/FU4