Milton Keynes school will have to take measures to protect kids from landfill gas

Oakgrove School in Venturer Gate, Middleton, applied to Milton Keynes Council to build new classrooms, a dining hall, a courtyard canopy and associated landscaping.

MK Council planners are OK with the Kingsbridge Educational Trust scheme, which is meant to give more space to the pupils already at the school, instead of providing for an expansion of numbers.

A report considered by planning officers before they gave permission, stated the “former landfill” had historically “been producing landfill gas.”

The report added: “The site is a former landfill site and forms part of a landfill buffer zone.

“In order to mitigate any risk from the potentially elevated gas levels at the site the report advises that passive gas protection measures will be incorporated into the new school building, reflecting the situation in the existing buildings on site.”

The school has been given the green light for the new buildings with the proviso that “a strategy for the installation of gas protection measures shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before construction works commence.

“Any remedial works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved strategy and validated by submission of an appropriate verification report prior to first occupation of the development.

“Should any unforeseen contamination be encountered the Local Planning Authority shall be informed immediately. Any additional site investigation and remedial work that is required as a result of unforeseen contamination will also be carried out to the written satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.”

Other planning applications decided by MK Council planners are:

> Non material amendment to application 17/01743/FUL to relocate the proposed substation, reinstate the existing access path, amend existing tree locations on plan, and to retain a wall to the west elevation. 1 Deltic Avenue, Rooksley, Milton Keynes, MK13 8DL. Application permitted.

> Reserved matters application for approval of access; appearance; landscaping; layout and scale of 15 dwellings on former marketing suite site pursuant to outline planning application 14/01544/OUT. Brooklands Marketing Suite, Fen Street, Brooklands, Milton Keynes, MK10 7ES. Application permitted.

Planning applications refused:

Listed building consent for the conversion and reconfiguration of the existing stone structure both internally and externally, removal and replacement of the existing roof structure and finish and the construction of a new glazed link and extension. Manor Cottage, Cross Lane, Weston Underwood, Olney, MK46 5LD. Refused.