19/01577/VAR

. | Magdalen College School Cowley Place Oxford OX4 1DZ

19 July 2019

Removal of condition 3 (Develop in accordance with approved plans) of planning permission 14/00717/FUL (Erection of rear single storey building with connecting enclosed walkway.) to allow the school to retain the building for use as a School Medical Centre and 5 year extension

Magdalen College School was originally given permission to use a temporary modular building as a sixth form study space whilst its new Sixth Form Centre was being constructed. This building was opened in February 2018. Rather than remove the modular building as originally planned, the school now wishes to use it as a Medical Centre. It is not clear that the temporary building would make an appropriate Health Centre.

Provision of physical and mental health care for pupils is, as the application says, very important but the application does not make clear how the building will be used and whether the modular building could be adapted for the purpose. The only floor plan of the building is shown in the 2014 application (14/00717) where the interior space is open plan. It is just 37 square metres.

Oxford Civic Society have a number of concerns.

  • How are the 3 medical staff and support staff going to be accommodated?
  • Would the building be converted into a single consultation room or is it proposed that the building will be partitioned so that all three medical staff can work at the same time?
  • Will there be the usual equipment for a consultation room such as an examination couch and a handbasin and will sound insulation be adequate to ensure medical confidentiality?

The application says that the School is reviewing its development master plan but it does not say whether it will include a new Medical Centre. It would be a great pity if medical care had to continue to be provided in a temporary building on a long-term basis.

These issues should be clarified before planning permission can be given