Stannington school wants boundary fence to protect pupils and stop dog fouling on fields

Nook Lane Junior School on Nook Lane, Stannington, is seeking planning permission to install a new 2.4m-high green weld mesh fence around the school perimeter. The application will be discussed at a planning committee meeting next Thursday (January 11), with a recommendation to grant approval.

A statement to the council by MAC Construction Consultants, which is the school’s contractor, highlights the issues which include dogs fouling, fly-tipping and pupils being at risk from unauthorised visitors.

It said: “This is proposed to increase the existing safeguarding provision on the school site which in recent years has been breached by members of the public using the site for dog walking, fly-tipping and recreational activities during and after school hours.

“During Covid-19 several areas of the existing established boundary line have been damaged and altered to allow illegal access onto the school site via neighbouring residential properties.

“This has led to increased security concerns and maintenance issues around the site which currently render the school playing fields as inadequate to use due to the increased health and safety risks presented by external visitors entering the site without prior authorisation.

Hazard

“Dog walking brings increased issues around safety as dogs are often let off the lead and left to roam the school site.

“In addition to this, the excrement left behind presents a major hazard to young children as toxocariasis found in faeces can lead to blindness in young children as their immune systems are not yet fully developed.”

The statement says that the school has logged more than 30 issues related to the poor state of the boundary fence since the pandemic.

“This has led to disruption to teaching and learning as well as disrupting main school events like sports days as the teachers are unable to manage and monitor an unsecure site, leading to this area being closed off to pupils whilst this issue is addressed.”

South Yorkshire Police supports the scheme for child safeguarding reasons.

The report to the committee says that one letter has been received in support of the plan and 15 letters make objections.

Overbearing

Objections include loss of view, overbearing and prominence of the fencing, loss of privacy and boundary maintenance issues, plus concerns over access to a culvert during any flooding. Another objection states that the cost of the fence for the school would be better spent elsewhere.

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The report to the committee says: “Although visible from adjoining neighbouring properties and the street scene, it is considered it will not over-dominate the street scene or the outlook of the neighbouring residents, due to its unobtrusive style of the green painted mesh fencing.

“It is also worth noting that permitted development rights would allow the installation of a slightly lower 2m high fence without the need for planning permission.”

It says that similar fencing is already in place around part of the school.

The report adds: “It is considered that there are no negative impacts which significantly and demonstrably outweigh the important benefits of providing an increased amount of health, safety and security for the junior school site.”

Objectors also voiced concerns about the effect on a hawthorn hedge near the perimeter, which is a habitat for wildlife. Conditions recommended to be attached to the planning permission relate to the construction of the fence to protect the roots of trees and retaining the hedgerow as far as possible.