£2.5m expansion of Hove school approved

The £2.5 million expansion of a Hove primary school has been approved despite the objections of a number of parents.

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, in Belfast Street, Hove, will grow from having 450 pupils to more than 650, rising by about 30 a year over seven years starting next September.

The decision was made by the Brighton and Hove City Council Children and Young People Committee at Hove Town Hall this afternoon (Monday 17 November).

The council’s head of education planning and contracts Michael Nix said that more than 350 people objected initially.

Since then a statutory notice had been published and a report to councillors said: “There have been 24 objections received to the statutory notice.

“One of these objections included a petition with 39 signatures objecting to the proposed changes to Haddington Street car park.”

The meeting was told that the 39 petitioners were local shopkeepers, worried about the loss of parking spaces in Haddington Street.

The report said: “The main themes of the objections are

• The consultation process, which is described as being insufficient and rushed
• Concerns about traffic and safety in neighbouring streets
• The need for new places and whether this is better met by a new school
• The building design proposals
• The provision of outside space for the increased number of pupils
• The loss of car parking spaces and the impact on local residents and businesses

“Other school-related issues, such as school size and provision for special educational needs and disabilities, and other planning related issues, such as light and noise, were also raised in the objections.”

A planning application is due to be made and will need to be approved before any wok can begin.

The principle of expanding the school was approved unanimously despite the reservations set out by some councillors.