PLANS for a new nursery building at an infant school near Ringwood have been amended for ‘cost-related reasons’.
Hampshire County Council has submitted an amended design for the proposed building in the grounds of Poulner Infants School.
The building, described as standalone and single-storey, has been earmarked to accommodate the existing school-run nursery which has space for 26 children.
It would sit around 10m south-east of the school’s main building, and has been designed to include a new outdoor play space, pupil changing area, and kitchen.
Planning permission for the scheme was approved in January 2022, and Hampshire County Council’s executive lead member for Children’s Services, Cllr Roz Chadd, approved spending for the project.
Now, the county council has been granted changes to the building’s form, height and materials.
The adapted design features a shallow-pitched roof and open gables instead of the originally proposed flat roof, and a building which is slightly larger.
Different materials have also been selected, including facing brickwork in lieu of acrylic render and uPVC window frames instead of aluminium window frames.
All other aspects of the design and proposals are set to remain as previously submitted.
Hampshire County Council said the proposed brickwork will “complement” the infant school, and the pitched-roof design will be “sympathetic” to the roof designs of neighbouring housing”.
The local authority said in a planning statement: “The proposed materiality, scale and height of the building will harmonise with its environment and context and respect and enhance local distinctiveness, character and identity.”
The proposed changes are said to be “required for cost-related reasons”, but will also offer “high-quality design which will contribute positively to local distinctiveness and will enhance the character of the locality”.
In recommending the changes for approval, a planning officer said the revisions were “considered, on balance, not to have an adverse effect on the impact of the development on the surrounding area”.
The officer added that prior to the nursery being built, a construction traffic management plan must be submitted and approved in writing by the County Planning Authority.
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