Cambian Group Specialist School

Shropshire

We successfully argued that a new specialist school in a countryside location would be policy-compliant and provide a much-needed service. The application was approved under delegated powers in October 2016.

Acting on behalf of the Cambian Group, we secured planning consent for a new specialist school in Shropshire. The school will accommodate up to 20 children, aged between 7 and 17, who have suffered trauma. Our planners worked closely with our communications team, to engage with local councillors and residents, to explain the benefits of the proposals. We successfully argued that a new specialist school in a countryside location would be policy-compliant and provide a much-needed service. The application was approved under delegated powers in October 2016.

We were appointed to seek planning permission for the erection of a standalone specialist school, within the grounds of a site owned by Cambian. The countryside site was outside the settlement boundary, where development is largely resisted. Due to the nature of the use and the location of the site, we suspected that the proposals would attract significant public interest.

Our consultation activities involved writing to the local parish council and local residents to ensure that they were fully informed and had all the information they required. A brochure providing further details about how the new school would operate was prepared and distributed to neighbouring properties.

Our careful and considered approach to consultation helped ensure that the parish council supported the application. A number of amendments were made to the scheme throughout the application process, to address concerns raised by the council’s highways and ecological departments. Solutions were identified through extensive liaison with specialist consultants. 

Once we had addressed the points raised by consultees, officers were supportive of the application and confirmed that it could be approved via delegated powers, as the parish council did not object to the proposal.  

Summary of achievements

  • Preparation, submission and monitoring of planning application
  • Consultation with local residents and their elected representatives
  • Liaison with specialist consultants to address consultee feedback
  • Establishing a good relationship with council officers, to enable the application to be dealt with via delegated powers