New Kingsbrook School in Aylesbury approved – with ‘futureproofing’

The construction of the new Kingsbrook School in Kingsbrook village, Aylesbury was carried by council members during a Strategic Sites Committee meeting on Thursday (August 6) – but approval was subject to debate around certain environmental concerns.

Cllr Noel Brown raised the general issue of global warming and the “appropriateness” of the “large” windows bearing reflective glass and a roof overhang providing shade.

“There’s a lot of glass in that building and if things are going to get hot, as we’re told they will, I think we need to think of our kids as they move forward,” he said.

Planning spokesperson James Suter remarked on the smart ventilation system throughout and contested any excess of glass.

Cllr Brown insisted his points be recommended.

Cllr Richard Newcombe took the point further, initially welcoming two EV charging bays in the car park but asked whether the infrastructure was such as to expand capacity as needed. He said it’s about “futureproofing” the site.

Cllr Jilly Jordan echoed his point saying, “why can’t we be leaders in this?”

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Cllr Newcombe also said 55 sqm solar panel provisions on the roof were in “small proportion” and if it might be increased.

He changed gears then, saying a report was initially sent to Bierton Parish Council and not Kingsbrook, who only recently responded having come into existence in the “penultimate” meeting of Aylesbury Vale District Council.

“As the wrong consultees were consulted in this matter… can we be reassured that there are no other planning applications to which the consultees have been Bierton rather than Kingsbrook and therefore the validity of any planning permissions given in relation to those matters?” he said.

Planning lead officer David Periam said Kingsbrook would have been consulted but that it got “swept along” in the creation of the new unitary council in April. “I have no reason to think we are not consulting other correct consultees on any other planning applications we’re dealing with,” he added.

The democratic services officer present agreed to take the matter forward and “consult the appropriate heads of planning”.

The area for the new two-storey two form entry (2FE) primary academy, situated south of Bellingham Way in Kingsbrook village, was formerly agricultural land. It now forms part of the Kingsbrook Development Area east of Aylesbury.

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Outline planning permission was first granted in December 2013.

The new 420-place school will have 52 places for nursery school age children and require 42 full-time staff.

The site, situated within 1.95 hectares of land, will have 58 parking spaces (two of which will be EV), four disabled bays, and three for minibuses.

There are plans for 54 bicycle bays, scooter storage, play areas, a “multi-use-games-area” (MUGA), a grass pitch, and a drop-off zone.

There will also be a library, “forest school” and pond.

Site access will be via a proposed public square south of Bellingham Way and all access points will be controlled manually by fobs or keypads, automated barriers and voice control features.

At close of business, councillors voted unanimously in favour of the development – but insisted a letter regarding “global warming”, the large windows, a roof overhang, EV charging points, and the solar panels be presented to cabinet.