Planning Consultation

The aim is to repair the mistakes of the past by removing the unsightly Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) and creating a balanced composition with Ovingdean Hall as the centrepiece.

The revised Phase 2 proposals look to enhance the college’s presence within the historic fabric of the Ovingdean conservation area.

As part of the revised proposals the theatre, swimming pool, Littleton and Beacon buildings are all retained and retrofitted.

It is proposed that the existing MUGA site to the east of Ovingdean Hall is redeveloped into a part 2 and part 3 storey new building providing boarding accommodation.

A two-storey teaching extension is proposed to replace poor quality single storey storage to the rear of Ovingdean Hall.

The massing of the boarding building has been carefully developed to be subservient to Ovingdean Hall and respond to the context already existing on the site.

The form of the Kepler Building sitting on the opposite side of Ovingdean Hall has been closely followed in massing and materiality, this has been developed through a series of moves that included roof design, stepping the massing, and recessing of the elevations.

The South of the site has been identified as a potential development area. Its location and distance from the main teaching building lends itself to a boarding house for older students. Options have been tested in regard to appropriate scale and mass of this new build to consider neighbouring properties in addition to its setting with Ovingdean Hall.

Consulting with an arboriculturist to identify trees of significant importance and those which can be removed, the proposed new build is to be sensitive to these constraints.

Inspired by the Manor house stable block, we are proposing a series of connected buildings, integrated into the landscape.

The massing has been developed to respond to the scale of the neigbouring properties and the tree layout.

Reducing the eaves level and introducing dormers orientated away from surrounding properties has enabled the mass to be kept as low as possible, whilst offsetting the buildings helps to reduce the overall mass into a series of smaller elements.

The amended proposals include a new MUGA with tree planting and acoustic fence to screen from the residential properties to the south.

Further landscape and ecological enhancements are proposed, including replacement tree planting.

As the previous application proposal, the MUGA will be available for public use in accordance with a management plan to be agreed with the local planning authority.

It is considered that locating the MUGA on the southern part of the site, further away from the main college teaching buildings, will help encourage its public use and maximise the associated community benefits.