Stowe School building gets green light after appeal against 'perverse' planning decision fails

Construction has been given the go ahead this week for a new Design Technology & Engineering (DTE) centre at Stowe School in Buckingham, despite planning officers recommending that the planning application should be refused.

The £40,000-a-year private school submitted plans for the DTE building within their grounds in November 2020, and they quickly drew concern from organisations such as Historic England and the Gardens Trust regarding the irreversible impact on Buckinghamshire’s landscape.

Planning officers clearly shared these concerns and recommended that the application be rejected, stating in their report that “It is the view of officers that the level of harm would be at the higher end of that scale,” adding, “The development of this site will result in the loss of some historic trees and also will have implications for the long-term sustainability of other trees.”

Planning documents show that at least 28 trees will need to be removed to build the new centre, including some that are around 150 years old.

However, in September 2021, Buckinghamshire Council’s planning committee voted to approve the plans.

Councillor Robin Stuchbury for the Buckingham West ward, who also sits on the planning committee and has previously voiced concerns about the project, commented: “It’s an unusual situation for the officers to recommend refusal and the planning committee to vote to approve.”

In response to the committee’s decision, the Gardens Trust submitted an appeal to the Secretary of State for the decision to be called in. That appeal was refused on the 21^st March.

On their website, the Gardens Trust, a national charity dedicated to protecting and conserving the UK's designed landscapes, state: “The proposal will cause the irreversible loss of part of Rook Spinney, a key, unaltered 18th century area of Stowe’s historic landscape.

“The school’s assessment of the level of damage is in our opinion flawed, as it unrealistically minimises the effect and potential damage of the development to this very significant woodland, an area which has been identified as fundamental to the design concept of this landscape.”

The controversial building has however received some high-level backing. MP for Buckingham Greg Smith has spoken out in favour of the plans previously.

Earlier this week the MP said to us: "I have personally visited the site of the proposed new DT block at Stowe School and it is to be built on land currently tarmacked as roadway, nearby some self-seeded trees.

“With the National Trust entirely on board with this application, I cannot understand why the Gardens Trust are so against the school being able to use this part of their site for new educational buildings. It is good news the appeal has been denied.”

As we went to press, Peter Hughes QC, Chairman of the Gardens Trust, provided the following statement:

“Buckinghamshire is fortunate that in Stowe it has one of the most significant designed landscapes in the country. It is of national importance as demonstrated by its Grade 1 listing on the Register of Parks and Gardens, and is internationally renowned.

“As statutory consultees within the planning system, the Gardens Trust gave its objective and impartial opinion that the application by Stowe School for a new Design & Technology building should be refused because of the proposed siting in a particularly sensitive and as yet undeveloped part of the registered park and garden which would cause substantial harm to Stowe's protected landscape. This was not just our assessment, but also that of Historic England, the body responsible for maintaining the register, and of the Georgian Group.

“Recognising the sensitivity of the application, the planning office of the Aylesbury Vale DC sought independent expert advice. It is a matter of deep concern that against that advice and the recommendation of the authority's own planning officers, a majority of the members of the local authority's Planning Committee decided to grant the application in principle subject to certain reserved matters. It is our view that the decision was perverse and failed to consider the weight of the evidence against the application.

“We have sought to persuade the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, to exercise his powers to 'call in' the application so that it can be referred to a planning inquiry. This would provide the opportunity for due consideration of the pros and cons of the application and a reasoned decision by a Planning Inspector. Regrettably, the Secretary of State has so far declined to do this on the basis that the application does not require his intervention because it involves issues of no more than local importance.

“We have tried to persuade the local MP, Mr Greg Smith, to take up the matter with the Secretary of State, but he has declined to do so.

“The low priority given to providing sites of this importance with the protection from development they deserve is profoundly troubling.”

Buckinghamshire Council was contacted for comment but a response had not been received at the time of publication.

[PICTURE: Plans for the new DTE building, showing trees to be removed marked in red]