On behalf of Tilbury Douglas Construction and the Department for Education, Iceni Projects’ Manchester Office managed the planning application and public consultation process concerning the construction of a new specialist ‘Alternative Provision’ school designed to cater for up to 80 pupils who are struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing, and who have Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH). The school will be managed by the Laurus Trust, a multi-Academy trust operating highly academic schools across the North West.

The school is to be located on disused tennis courts on the western side of Hazel Grove High School, in Stockport, with its own outdoor playing field and car park, to be accessed separately to Hazel Grove High School.

The planning application proposed the replacement of these tennis courts with brand new tennis and netball courts to be located on the eastern side of Hazel Grove school. The application also proposed an improved car park for the staff at Hazel Grove High School. The new Alternative Provision school will be a two storey building with small classrooms and specialist teaching rooms designed to cater specifically for children who need additional learning support, before transitioning back into mainstream education.

The project team had to contend with a number of complex matters during the pre-application and determination stages. The team consulted with the local community at a public consultation event and met with local ward members and the local MP, keeping them abreast of the progress of the application throughout.  The team also engaged with Sport England and a number of other consultees to overcome planning policy and technical matters. For example, as the site was designated as Local Open Space, justification was required to demonstrate that the loss of the site was acceptable from an ecological, sporting and amenity perspective. Further, the site had the potential for a number of protected species which required detailed ecological surveys and additional monitoring to be undertaken. The application also required the signing of a S106 legal agreement, to secure funding for off-site biodiversity net gain.

Iceni’s Manchester team managed the project from the pre-application stage through to determination. The team submitted the application in spring 2023 and were able to secure planning permission by December 2023. The application was required to go through Stockport Council’s two stage planning committee process and was unanimously supported by members at both stages.

Iceni are retained to manage the discharge of condition process and a start on site is expected in spring 2024.