A LETTER has been sent to parents of the Burfield Academy after its plans to permanently close the drop-off area were refused.
The troubled school in Oaklands Way, Hailsham, applied to East Sussex County Council to withdraw the planning condition of supplying a ‘kiss and drop’ area for parents as it says the current area is unsafe for children, due to untrained staff, safeguarding concerns and failures in the design.
The letter sent to parents just hours after the decision stated: “The Planning Committee of East Sussex County Council met today [Wednesday] and unfortunately, they have refused the application.”
It added: “A decision to refuse would render the site unsuitable for use as a Primary School at any point in the future.”
The school is suggesting parents should use the neighbouring roads for parking and drop-off purposes. This was met with anger by surrounding residents who submitted a petition signed by 74 people, along with 29 letters of objection, asking the County Planning Committee to reject the school application to overturn the condition.
The news comes as a huge blow to parents and pupils following the decision last year to temporarily close Burfield Academy for extensive safety works, which saw pupils moved to the Pheonix Academy on Marshfoot Lane.
After the unanimous decision at the meeting, Cllr Gerard Fox told Hailsham News: “The Planning Committee turned down the School’s application to abandon the kiss and drop. I am hopeful that the Academy can come up with an alternative plan that addresses the traffic safety and congestion challenges. I’m more than happy to work with all parties to reach a solution which is safe and works well for the children, their parents, and local residents.”
Hailsham Town Council recently discussed the school’s request in a recent planning meeting. It decided to support the removal of the kiss and drop system and recommended a PCSO should manage any illegal parking taking place. Councillor Godfrey Daniel responded to the HTC comments by saying that ‘simply won’t happen’.
Burfield Academy concluded in the letter to parents: “We have contacted East Sussex County Council’s Children’s Services team to request their steer on what this decision means in practice and will share a further update once this meeting has taken place.”
Ed Sheath, Head of Planning and Environment at East Sussex County Council said at the meeting: “There have been a number of complaints made to the council over the impact the closure of the kiss and drop facility has had on neighbouring roads, and the issues around parking to driveways and blocked drives.
The applicant has not provided sufficient levels of information and analysis to satisfy us that the removal of all obligations relating to a kiss and drop facility at Burfield Academy would not give rise to increase hazards the use of the surrounding Highway Network. Furthermore, no information has been submitted to ascertain whether potential improvements to the existing facility have been explored.”
The motion to accept the officer recommendation was moved by Cllr Godfrey Daniel (Labour) and seconded by Cllr Kathryn Field (Lib Dem) both of whom had been involved as planning committee members in the placing of the original planning condition in 2015. It was supported by the whole committee.
In 2014, the original planning application for the school was refused by planners due to the impact on nearby residents. However, one year later, the plans were approved on the basis of a kiss and drop provision. It was then operated up until the COVID outbreak when it was closed to allow for social distancing.
When restrictions were lifted, ESCC begun to receive complaints from local residents due to high amount of traffic, as the kiss and drop was not reopened by the school.
Concluding the meeting, Chair Councillor Tom Liddiard (Conservative), said: “I think the applicants need to take this away and have a very careful look and serious conversation, both amongst themselves, but also with officers within the Highways and Planning department and to bring us back an application that allays some of the concerns of local residents, deals with the concerns of the site and puts the safety of children and the community at the heart of the decision that they’re making, rather than just transferring the problem to the public Highway, which will worsen the situation for everyone else with the exception of the applicant.”
