A school has converted space previously used as a disabled charity centre into a place to teach special needs children.
Hurst Lodge School opened its Woodlands Campus in Crowthorne in September last year.
The school teaches children with special educational needs (SEN) from Years 3 to 6 of primary education.
The Woodlands was formally used as a charity outreach centre for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, offering support and respite care.
But its conversion into a school was hit with 23 objections by neighbours who expressed concern about traffic and parking difficulties.
The school required retrospective permission to use the site for its purposes from Bracknell Forest Council.
Planning officer Sarah Fryer reported that no internal changes were required as part of the conversion, but the car park would have to be adjusted to facilitate school parking, drop offs and pick ups.
Members of the council’s planning committee visited the site with officers on Saturday, December 6.
Councillor Dorothy Hayes MBE (Conservative, Winkfield & Warfield East) said: “On the site visit, I sat outside at pickup time, there was one person that came back to the car that did not come from the school site and then drove off.
“What was also brought to our attention was the fact that, because the children come from various places, not in our borough, that the majority of the vehicles were taxis. Not families.
“Can we be aware of what the movements are if we knew what the taxi movements are as well?”
Ms Fryer replied: “My understanding is that because it takes a lot of children with special educational needs that have funding from local authorities.
“So it could be Bracknell Forest, it could also be West Berkshire and Reading that attend the school because it is the best fit for then, and as part of that agreement they get taxi services organised for them.
“So, where the taxes come from will vary year on year, depending on what children attend the school and where they come from.”
The issue of heavy traffic and dangerous parking had previously been raised by cllr Tina Eberle (Liberal Democrats, Crowthorne) at a full council meeting in September.
Cllr Tony Virgo (Conservative, Winkfield & Warfield East) expressed concern about the impact of school use would have on the main Hurst Lodge building, which is protected as it previously served as the house of the superintendent of Broadmoor Hospital.
Ms Fryer’s report stated that the building would not be changed, but ramps will be added to the portacabin opposite the main building.
Cllr Virgo also expressed worry about the loss of a lamppost that forms part of a traffic island that will be removed to facilitate parking.
Ms Fryer replied that the future of the lamppost would be clarified in follow-up discussions with the school.
Retrospective permission for the conversion was unanimously approved on December 11.
You can view the approved application by typing reference 24/00786/FUL into Bracknell council’s planning portal.
