Hailsham Community College expansion approved

On Wednesday (November 18), East Sussex County council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals to build a three-storey teaching block at the secondary school in Battle Road, replacing part of an existing craft block in the process.

Before making their decision, councillors heard from ward member Bob Bowdler (Con). He said: “I really do welcome this expansion of Hailsham Community College. 

“With the amount of applications which have already gone through and the expansion [of the town] under the Hailsham Aspires programme, I think it is, I wouldn’t say overdue, but very welcome, that we are looking after people who have come to live in Hailsham.”

While supportive of the application, Cllr Bowdler said he had concerns about the traffic impact on Battle Road, particularly as new housing comes to Hailsham, but added that “officers have done as much as they possibly can at this particular point”.

Similar concerns around traffic had been raised by some local residents. 

In all the council received ten representations from residents, raising concerns around parking pressure during school drop-off and pick-up times, overlooking from the new building as well as noise and light pollution from the new sports pitch. 

Concerns had also been raised by residents of The Cedars Residents’ Association due to a proposed pedestrian access from the school on to the Cuckoo Trail, part of which runs through The Cedars Estate.

The residents’ association also raised concerns related to an increase in parking by parents and sixth-form students on the private road.

The proposal also includes the construction of a new all-weather sports pitch, for use by both the college and the wider community. 

To address concerns around light pollution from this pitch, Cllr Kathryn Field suggested a condition requiring its floodlights be angled downwards. This was accepted.

Cllr Godfrey Daniel (Lab, Hastings Castle), meanwhile, asked for a condition requiring the applicant (in this case the County Council itself) look into installing a sprinkler system as part of the construction. This was also accepted. 

According to planning documents, the new building would allow the school to increase its roll by 370, 70 of whom would be sixth form students. This means the school would have a total roll of 1,800 students, including 300 sixth formers.

There would also be a significant increase in the number of on-site parking spaces, rising from around 76 to 117.

For further details of the proposals see application reference WD/3423/CC on the East Sussex County Council planning website.