New date set for Sutton New Schools' Public Inquiry
The public inquiry will start on 9 September 2020
The Government Planning Inspector was due to hold a public inquiry in March to hear the appeal against the refusal of the planning application for the proposed new schools at Rosehill, however due to COVID-19 this was postponed. A new start date of 9 September 2020 at 9.30am has been set for a virtual public inquiry. The inquiry will receive evidence from Wates, the contractor who designed the new schools, Sutton Council and anyone that wishes to make representation.
Wates, working on behalf of the Department for Education, has submitted an appeal against the decision of Sutton Council to refuse to grant planning permission for the proposed new schools on the derelict astroturf at Rosehill. Wates had submitted a planning application to build a new secondary school and small special school on the disused all weather pitch and part of the Sports Village at Rosehill Recreation Ground. In September 2019, Sutton Council turned down the planning application.
The proposed schools will provide much-needed secondary school places for local families and specialist provision for children on the autistic spectrum. The schools will be operated by the Greenshaw Learning Trust.
The inquiry will be held as a virtual event run by an Inspector in the normal way, but with the parties invited to join via Microsoft Teams or telephone. Anyone wishing to attend the inquiry must make that interest known to the Planning Inspectorate Case Officer as soon as possible prior to the inquiry, either by email or telephone as below.
Case Officer contact at the Planning Inspectorate:
Alison Dyson, Planning Inspectorate Reference: APP/P5870/W/19/3241269
Contact ideally by email: alison.dyson@planninginspectorate.gov.uk or telephone 0303 444 5304
You can find out more about the proposed new schools here. Documents relating to the appeal can be viewed here by entering reference DM2019/00985.