Historic Pounds House approved for SEND school

Parking and highways issues have failed to scupper a plan to transform the historic Pounds House in Plymouth’s Central Park into a school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

There was unanimous support for the application by Phoenix Bay School of Newton Abbot at Plymouth City Council’s planning committee on Thursday.

Members were satisfied that sufficient traffic management was being put in place to avoid traffic congestion at the Pounds Park Lane access road, which was the issue raised by opponents to the plan.

Councillors said a new SEND school was desperately needed in the city and the facilities for the children, following a £300,000 restoration of the grade II listed property sold off by the city council last year, were “remarkable”.

This will be the second school for independent education provider Phoenix Bay and will care for a maximum of 40 children in ten classes with 20 staff.

The meeting heard that 80 per cent of the pupils who attend the school in Newton Abbot are from Plymouth and would transfer to the new school, reducing travel times and boosting their wellbeing by being close to home.

Currently there were over 400 children with education, health and care plans (EHCP) in Plymouth educated outside the city.

School principal Ross Banks said he expected the savings to the city council in home to school transport costs would be around £68,000 per year.

The plan was bringing back the “beautiful Pounds House” into viable use with no physical alterations to the historic fabric of the building.

Mr Banks said Phoenix Bay which is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted and ‘outstanding’ for personal development received referrals from local authorities daily because of its outcomes.

“It goes far beyond qualifications, we improve attendance, emotional wellbeing, confidence, independence and prepare young people for successful futures,” he said.

Cllr Jeremy Goslin (Lab, Peverell), who called the application to the planning committee over access and parking, asked that parking restrictions be put in place along Pounds Park Lane where it meets Outland Road and an additional passing pass by way of a condition on the planning consent.

The two-way private road with a loop to the northeast of Pounds House also provides access to Peverell Park Surgery and to a private house.

Committee members heard that at some points in the day the lane can be heavily parked, causing constrained access to the GP surgery.

Concerns were raised that the parking demand of the school could result in additional highways impacts on the junction onto Outland Road and inaccessibility of the GP surgery for patients and ambulances.

Planning officers said because this was a private road the highways committee did not have the authority to enforce parking restrictions and it was “probably unreasonable”.

Cllr Jon Dingle (Lab, St Budeaux) said he was initially worried but a lot of his fears had been allayed as there was plenty of parking spaces (20), the children would arrive by taxi and marshals would be in place to manage the traffic.

The school has committed to staggered pick up and drop off times and will put additional marshals in place if necessary.

Highways officers withdrew concerns about potential traffic issues following negotiations with the applicant and updated travel and operational management plans.

“So many of our SEND children are having to go outside the city for schooling. This is a real solution to stop some of that happening,” said Cllr Dingle.