The Regulatory Committee of Warwickshire Council met on Tuesday 2 June 2026 to discuss a planning application for the expansion of Avon Valley School in Rugby. The committee resolved to hold a site visit to better understand the traffic and parking concerns raised by local residents and ward councillors.

Avon Valley School Expansion

The primary focus of the meeting was the planning application for the proposed extension of Avon Valley School in Rugby. The expansion includes a new three-storey teaching block, a four-court sports hall, and the redevelopment of the former caretaker's house to provide additional learning spaces. The proposal also incorporates new landscaping and car parking.

Discussion on Traffic and Parking: A significant portion of the discussion revolved around concerns regarding traffic and parking in the vicinity of the school, particularly during drop-off and pick-up times. Councillor Tony Freeman, the ward councillor for Newbold and Brownsover, highlighted the existing issues of blocked driveways, pavement parking, and general congestion, stating, The area simply cannot cope with the current volume of cars that appear twice a day to drop and pick up children. He expressed worries that the school expansion, which will increase pupil numbers by 300, would exacerbate these problems.

Concerns were also raised about the accuracy of the transport assessment, with Councillor Freeman suggesting that the transport assessment significantly underestimated future care use. He pointed to the reliance on a hands-up survey conducted in favourable weather conditions as a potential flaw.

The committee discussed the proposed mitigation measures, including a new Travel Plan for the school, which aims to promote park and stride locations. These locations include Avon Mill Recreation Ground, Newbold Quarry Nature Reserve, and Elliott's Field. However, Councillor Will Roberts questioned the effectiveness of these measures, asking, if there isn't enough people are going to go and partner to the school. He also noted that the proposed parking spaces within the park and stride locations are existing, not new.

Cycle Parking: The provision of cycle parking was also debated. With 300 new pupils, the proposed 35 cycle parking spaces (25 new spaces plus 10 Sheffield-style stands) were questioned by Councillor Roberts, who felt it was insufficient to encourage cycling. The applicant's agent, Karin Hartley from Delta Planning, explained that there is already significant existing cycle provision and that the new spaces, combined with the travel plan measures, would be sufficient.

Environmental Standards: The proposed development aims to meet BREEAM 'very good' environmental standards, with the potential for an 'excellent' rating. Councillor Roberts questioned why the council wasn't aiming for the excellent rating as a standard, given its potential long-term benefits. The planning officer, Andrew Close, explained that while very good meets policy requirements, achieving excellent depends on various build elements and monitoring.

Loss of Playing Fields: The proposal involves the loss of a portion of the school's playing fields. However, Sport England raised no objection, stating that the benefits of the new community-use sports hall outweigh the marginal loss of playing field land. The report noted that the existing playing field area to be lost is of low-quality turf with non-compliant gradients and surface undulations, and that the pitches will be reconfigured and improved.

Decision to Hold a Site Visit: Following extensive discussion and in response to the significant concerns raised by local residents and Councillor Freeman, the committee voted to hold a site visit. This visit is intended to allow members to park in the 800 meter car park and walk to the school at peak time to gain a firsthand understanding of the traffic and parking issues. The timing of the site visit will need to be determined quickly to allow for a decision before the school summer break.

Delegated Decisions: The committee also noted the delegated decisions made since the last meeting, which included the approval of several planning applications dealt with under delegated powers. These included the retention of a Portakabin at Shottery St Andrews C of E Primary School, the reinstatement of a Materials Recycling Facility in Ettington, amendments to school redevelopment at Kingsway Community Primary School, and variations to conditions at Wolston Fields Quarry.