Bodiam school extension and MUGA granted

Rother District Council’s planning committee unanimously agreed to let Claremont Senior School create nine classrooms, meeting and tutorial rooms, a workshop plus toilets in the extension at a meeting at Bexhill Town Hall.

A MUGA with fencing and floodlights was also given the go-ahead although some were worried about the impact it would have on Bodiam which has no street lights.

Cllr Sue Prochak supported the application to provide better sports facilities for the community and was glad the MUGA would only be used on weekdays until 6pm from October to March.

“There’s no street lighting at all in Bodiam and I know people complain a bit as the existing lighting is obtrusive and is left on all night,” she said.

“And this pitch is right next to residents, but I’m grateful to the school for making at compromise on the lighting.”

The parish council opposed both the extension and the MUGA, saying the extra classrooms would be an over-development of the school and would create traffic issues during construction.

Officers said it ‘is not anticipated to generate an exceptionally large volume of construction traffic’.

The parish council also said the 10m-high floodlights would cause light pollutions, damage wildlife and disrupt residents in the ‘dark village’.

Eight objection letters were received for the pitch, with similar concerns, but officers claimed the 6pm deadline would reduce the impact on wildlife and landscape.

For the extension, the former stables and orangery would be demolished and replaced with a two-storey building.

Officers were concerned about the height and width of the proposal so it was adjusted following discussions.

They also lamented the loss of a ‘valuable’ Victorian orangery but it was not a reason to refuse the plans due to the social benefits of the extension.

Officers recommended approval as it would help Claremont expand, the design was considered to be of ‘high architectural quality’, and it would not detract from the character and appearance of the village or High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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