FAQs
Community Open Space Land to the Front of Henry Chichele Primary School
These FAQs aim to address the common questions that are being asked of us regarding the area of land that was open to parents for parking at school drop off and pick up times. If you still have a query after reading these FAQs, please do contact us and we will endeavour to answer your question.
What is the history of this area?
The POS (Public Open Space) land to the front of Henry Chichele Primary School was transferred to the council from the developer many years ago. It is understood the land was originally designed and set out by the developer with the intention that it could be used by the community for holding community events, such as fetes, craft fairs, fundraising activities etc.
The use of the land for car parking is recorded as having been permitted from at least 2013. There is a letter on file from the Local Education Authority (then Northamptonshire County Council) dated 9th February 2015 that asks the council if they will consider continuing to allow the use of their land for parents to use at school drop off and pick up times. The council confirmed this in writing back to NCC on the 25th February 2015. The letter did not contain any detail regarding the day to day opening and closing of the gates, but the school were already opening and closing the gates prior to this and continued to do so until the closure in May 2023.
In February 2020 the Planning and Development Committee were asked to review the use of the POS land for parking by parents. A meeting was then sought with the Bursar, Chair of Governors, representatives from the PTA and the Head Teacher of Henry Chichele Primary School, alongside the Town Clerk and councillors from the Town Council. The issues discussed were intended to be primarily safety issues, particularly with the potential access of emergency vehicles down School Lane at busy times. The meeting was unable to take place due to the emerging control measures for Coronavirus at the time.
Originally, and back in 2013, the area was not opened all day but was opened in the morning, closed, and then opened again at 3pm in the afternoon. In 2020, and as part of the liaison with the school at the time, it was agreed the car park would open in the morning and remain open during the school day, then close at the end of the school day.
Why was the area closed for car parking?
It was identified in early 2023 that there were potential safety concerns with the area being used as a car park. The council made the decision to temporarily close the POS land for car parking at the town council meeting of May 2023. A meeting was subsequently held on 6th June 2023 with the school to discuss the council decision. The area remained temporarily closed following the meeting. During the summer, the council sought legal advice regarding the use of the land for car parking. At the August 2023 council meeting, following review of the legal advice, it was agreed the area would remain closed for the parking of cars.
The legal advice highlighted a number of concerns – including the suitability of the space for car parking and that the area was originally designated as 'Public Open Space' – a definition which means land laid out for the purposes of public recreation.
Inspections into the area identified a significant level of improvement works that would be required to make the space into a safe and usable car parking area. There was a conflict identified between the improvement works required to make the land safe for car parking and the council's current ability to do this under the registered status of the land as Public Open Space.
Will this community area re-open for parking?
The issues identified in the process of obtaining the legal advice mentioned above led to the following conclusion:
- The land would require significant works to bring it up to the standard required for it to be a safe and usable car parking area.
- The land is legally designated as 'Public Open Space' and this means it should only be used for the purposes of public recreation.
- It is understood by the council that a planning application would be required for a change of use to allow it to become a legally defined car park, and it is not guaranteed that this would be permitted.
- The council would also need to pursue regularisation, which may require seeking the co-operation of the original landowners (the developers) and could prove difficult.
For these reasons the council reached the conclusion that the area could not be reopened for parking.
Is this all about cost?
Cost plays a part in council decisions because we operate to a budget and have limited resources. We are accountable to all the residents of the town as to how their council tax money is spent. However, safety plays a paramount part in council decisions too. As a council we are responsible for the safety of all people on our land. We own the open space and are therefore accountable for the way it is used.
The council and the school have been in continual discussions regarding use of the open space and the council will include the school in any future discussions. The discussions regarding the use have included maintenance costs but this is not the only point of discussion. The short-term issue was related to the practicality of the day to day running of the open space land. Both parties were willingly working on this matter but it has transpired that it is not as straightforward as either party would like.
What do we mean by maintenance costs?
The open space area is gated and is a compacted gravel surface surrounded by grass with a low fence, bench, notice board and perimeter trees. When we refer to maintenance cost discussion we refer to the compacted gravel surface only.
How much has the Town Council spent on this maintenance?
The council spent £3635 since the summer of 2020. This is purely in relation to repairing the gravel surface. Grass cutting, tree management and maintenance of the assets are excluded from this figure.
How much would it cost to carry out the improvement works required for the space to re-open as a car park?
In order to pursue the change of use required via a planning application, there would be costs for a pre-application enquiry of £385 and approximate costs of £2000 for the regularisation process. If these are granted there would then be costs involved in turning the area into a car park, including resurfacing, measuring, marking and ensuring the appropriate signage is in place. The cost for this would be a considerable sum.
Do other schools experience parking issues at school drop off and pick up times?
Parking, and a lack of parking space, as many will know is a common problem for parents at school pick up and drop off times in the majority of towns and villages. It is not unique to Henry Chichele. The Nursery and Infant School and the Junior School in Wharf Road equally have on-going issues.
What liaison does the Town Council have with the Highway Authority?
The council and the school are in active discussion with NNC as the Highway Authority to see if there are any additional highway measures that can be put in place to improve the situation for school parents at drop off and pick up times. Any measures to assist parents also need to be balanced against the needs of residents.
When the community area was open for parking why were the gates closed outside of school hours?
The gates were always closed outside of school hours because outside of these hours there is deemed to be sufficient parking available for residents. The need for additional parking arises directly in connection with the school.
Who is responsible for Parking Enforcement?
NNC are responsible for parking enforcement on the highway. We cannot be held accountable for the actions of the minority of people who chose to park illegally in the vicinity of the school. Parking enforcement is in place by NNC to regulate contravention.
We often receive complaints about the lack of parking enforcement officers in the town. We pass these requests onto NNC. We have been seeking a higher level of presence for many years. We have no direct say on if we get parking enforcement officers, when they come to the town, and subsequently where they go when they do come. We understand the area by the school is part of the routine area of coverage for parking enforcement officers when they are in the town.