London Borough of Barnet Primary Schools’ Capital Investment Programme: Planning Strategy - London Borough of Barnet

20-May-10

Spatial Strategies Award Commendation 2007

Sponsored by Planning Officers Society

Summary

The London Borough of Barnet has integrated development of its education capital investment programme with spatial planning and corporate planning to produce a spatial strategy with wide public support to deliver a new generation of primary schools for its growing population.

Background

Barnet is an outer London borough that will have the largest population by 2016. It has a strong economy and a diverse population. One third of the area of Barnet is designated as green belt or protected open land, it has 18 conservation areas, excellent schools and attainment, and the second busiest planning department in London, although the borough has uneven growth.

Work started on the Primary Schools’ Capital Investment Programme (PSCIP) in September 2002. By 2004 the education and planning professionals started working together on the issues. Many of Barnet’s school sites are too large, and represent an under used asset. However, it was soon recognised that considering alternative uses for part of or all of these sites would be controversial. The council needed to make the best use of its resources, replace dilapidated school buildings, provide extra capacity in the most suitable locations that could serve its expanding population, and to do this in a sustainable way.

Project Description

The strategy involved reconfiguration of school sites in a way that released some of the assets for reinvestment, and aimed to be acceptable in environmental, economic and social terms. The aim was to secure new primary schools for Barnet to BREEAM “excellent” standards and to finance the building work required from the proceeds of land sales plus minimal borrowing. There was extensive consultation as part of the process of developing the strategy, initially with key stakeholders and later, as the detail became clearer, with local communities and parents. Barnet members and officers listened to, and incorporated the views of all stakeholders, before finalising the spatial strategy and procurement proposals.

The Borough’s Unitary Development Plan was comparatively up to date, but did not take account of issues of school capacity and location, so any proposals would need to be considered as departures from the development plan. Therefore it was clear that the delivery of the programme would depend on addressing the requirements and preparing a robust planning framework that would provide strategic guidance on spatial development sustainability criteria and land use planning issues. Timing of this work coincided with a more integrated approach across the local authority than had existed before, and this supported departments in working together within a clear organisational framework. A project board, including a planner, was set up to consider all the issues involved in the programme, from planning to procurement and delivery.

In summer 2006 planning consultants Hepher Dixon, supported by the Borough’s Major Projects team from the Planning and Environmental Protection Service, and colleagues from the Education Service, were commissioned to draft a strategic planning report and individual planning briefs for each of the 11 schools in Wave 1 of the Programme.

Planning Achievement

Early stakeholder consultation was undertaken with the Greater London Authority, Government Office for London, Sport England, and the then Department for Education and Skills. The initial response was very positive, subject to a number of criteria. The fact that this support has continued, particularly from the Mayor of London, has been vital to continued progress being made on the programme, and the eventual delivery of the required new school buildings;
Public consultation took the form of road shows held at all the affected schools and these were attended by education and planning officers. The leader and cabinet member for the Capital Programme explained the policy and the strategy designed to deliver it. Attendance at the road-shows was good, and comments received were taken on board before the strategy and briefs were approved by the council’s cabinet in April;
Four key planning issues were resolved by producing these documents, which was crucial to obtaining the go ahead to proceed with the procurement process:
• The need to address the fact that proposals to rebuild these schools were departures from the adopted UDP;
• They would involve building in the green belt or metropolitan open land;
• The applications would need to be referred to the Mayor; and
• They involved loss of playing fields.
Barnet’s planners were instrumental in developing the spatial justification and sustainable policy support for this major community and education infrastructure programme, facilitating buy in from strategic and local stakeholders, and engaging effectively with elected members.

Key Participants

London Borough of Barnet