South Road, Taunton
Description
Tetlow King Planning (TKP), in partnership with Trevor J Spurway (Architect) Ltd., helped to secure permission for purpose-built, dedicated student accommodation for Richard Huish College, Taunton after a year of pre-application discussion and public consultation across two applications.
With this development Richard Huish College, an important Sixth Form College with an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating and national reputation, will ensure its continued, long term success in an expanding Taunton. The site’s location within a few hundred yards of the College makes this an eminently sustainable development. TKP provided a clear justification for the proposal, including how this will meet the aims and policies of the local plan and NPPF. An economic statement presented by scheme Architect Trevor Spurway, and speeches by the head of governors and the College’s Principal at committee, helped set out the economic and social benefits not only for the College, but more widely in Taunton.
The new accommodation will demolish an incongruous 1960s house and redevelop an adjoining Victorian villa. Careful consideration of design and input from Cotswold Archaeology on the heritage impact of the scheme was critical to achieving a successful development within the South Road Conservation Area and adjacent to neighbouring properties. The design team also included Hydrock as transport consultants, Swan Paul Partnership for landscape and tree advice, and Greena Ecological Consultancy on ecology.
Following a healthy debate at committee, the student accommodation was approved by a vote of eight to two.