PLANS have been submitted to create a new art and food technology studio within the grounds of St George’s Preparatory School in La Hague Manor.
The proposed development would see the construction of a detached teaching studio with associated facilities within the grounds of the Grade 2 listed manor house.
The planning application submitted by the school seeks permission for the new building to be located on the south-east of the manor.
According to a design statement submitted as part of the application, the site forms part of the wider school estate, which extends down into St Peter’s Valley to the east.
The report states that the proposed building would be positioned on an area that already contains a disused ground-bearing concrete slab that previously served as the base for three cricket net practice bays. As a result, the document states, that the site can be considered “previously developed” in planning terms.
If approved, the development would create a studio with a proposed floor area of 100.35 square metres, providing a dedicated space for art and food technology teaching within the school. The design statement states that the building will be a multi-functional classroom set within the school’s woodland, giving pupils natural light and views of the arboretum.
The report adds that the studio could also support outdoor teaching activities by providing nearby facilities, allowing lessons to take place away from the main school buildings.
The proposed building has been designed to have a “light touch” on the site, with natural timber cladding intended to blend into surrounding woodland.
It sits close to an area of woodland used by the school for “forest schooling” where pupils are encouraged to explore and learn in the natural environment.
The application, which has been classified as ‘minor’, is currently pending consideration by the Planning Department.
