A special educational needs school in Wallsend has had its plans to expand approved - despite objections it would lead to further traffic frustrations.
Beacon Hill Primary School, a school specializing in educating children with profound, severe, and or multiple needs, has been given the go-ahead to construct a whole new block. The block will house ten specially designed classrooms for children with Autism spectrum disorder, a staff room and a hygiene room.
The two-storey block will be built on the existing school car park. A new car park will be built on the unused school grounds.
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Council officers also stated the project would improve education provision at the school.
However, the new scheme had been objected to by six residents who claimed the building would invade their privacy and create congestion and traffic problems. Jon Goodwin spoke to the North Tyneside Council’s planning committee to object to the application.
Mr Goodwin said: “There are only two access points to the whole ‘Rising Sun neighbourhood’ which includes Beacon Hill School, North East Sporting Club, St Bernadette’s School, Rising Sun Cottages, Rising Sun Villas, the Barking Dog pub and sports ground, the Rising Sun Farm and Country Park.
“Those access points are Rae Avenue, which is a designated play street and shouldn't be used to access the school and a section of Kings Road North that is north of Mullen Road and Warkworth Avenue which is rendered ‘single file’ by the junction between Kings Road North and Warkworth Avenue.
“This section of Kings Road North is already extremely busy at school drop-off and pick-up times, making access to the neighbourhood difficult and leading to some incredibly inconsiderate parking and anti-social driving behaviour including engines idling, cars exceeding the speed limit and so on, both along the front of Rising Sun Cottages and Kings Road North itself.”
Council highway officers did acknowledge that there were existing traffic problems in the area, but they were being examined separately from the application. The Highways team had no objection to the application.
Council officers also stated the distance between the proposed block and homes, approximately 26 metres, would not lead to an unacceptable loss of privacy or amenity.
The application was unanimously approved by North Tyneside Council’s planning committee.
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