RESIDENTS are preparing to do battle once again following the submission of a revised application to build a purpose-built nursery or childcare facility within the grounds of Eggar’s School in Alton.

While most understand the need by Eggar’s to develop an improved refectory to support an expected increase in senior school pupil numbers from new development that has and continues to take place in Alton and its surrounding villages, they do not believe this is the right place to site a nursery facility, which could result in an estimated 240 more traffic movements in and out of the school grounds each day, adding to traffic congestion at the traffic light junction on London Road, especially at peak times.

And they are concerned about noise pollution for residents in neighbouring Complins and the permanent loss of valuable playing field facilities for current and future pupils.

One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “To be facing the loss of a school playing field to private enterprise in the year 2015 is shocking. Once it has gone, it has gone.”

She added: “Neighbours in Complins are outraged that the plans have changed so drastically, having moved from the replacement of an old disused building to what is a greenfield site in every possible context.”

A previous application submitted last July was refused by East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) planners in October last year on grounds that there was no provision made toward integrated transportation measures, contrary to local planning policy.

This, according to Godalming-based Planit Consulting, had been due to the failure of the applicant, Tootsies Day Nursery Ltd, to provide a signed section 106 agreement, due to a complication over land ownership.

While the original application had been for the demolition of the former caretaker’s bungalow in the grounds of Eggar’s School and the construction of a single-storey nursery, to the south of the main school building, the revised application is for a new building to the north, on recreational land within the ownership of the school but which is said to be rarely used and surplus to the sports requirement of the school.

This building, which would be located close to residential buildings at Complins in Holybourne, would be modular and pre-fabricated in nature, measuring 24 metres in length on the eastern elevation and 23 metres on the south side, and limited to 3.1 metres in height, with a flat roof to match the main school buildings.

It would comprise main classrooms and play areas for between 70 and 90 pre-school children, ranging in age from three months to five years, with associated facilities, including toilets, changing and sleeping areas, a kitchen, meeting room, and staff/office area.

Access would be from London Road, via the existing school gate, and operating times would be from 7.30am to 7.30pm, but with no pick-up allowed to coincide with school finishing times, to mitigate any resulting traffic congestion.

It is proposed to build a new 24-space parking area adjacent to and for sole use by the nursery.

The L-shape design of the nursery will embrace an outdoor play area, located on the opposite side to Complins housing, to minimise noise impact.

In response to concerns raised by Sport England over the loss of playing field land, Planit Consulting points out that this particular location has been identified by the school as being unused and surplus to requirement, plus Tootsies Day Nursery Ltd has agreed to provide a new all-weather sports pitch to enhance the sporting facilities on the school’s 5.3-hectare playing field.

It is considered that this, coupled with the development of a community facility which the applicant claims will meet an identified demand for additional pre-school and childcare spaces at the eastern end of town, will outweigh any potential “harm” that may come from the use of a 4,500 square metre under-used area of land, representing just one per cent of the total playing field area.

The nursery will also employ 30 nursery staff, to create new jobs in the area.

But residents believe that the facility would be in the wrong place, and it would be one which would increase traffic congestion in the area to “a dangerous level”.

People living in Complins complain of being unable to get out of their road during dropping-off and picking-up time, and of noise pollution, expressing concern also over loss of recreational land to a private initiative. And they question the “need” for another nursery when there are, they say, four nurseries or pre-schools within a half-mile radius of the school, one of which nearly closed last autumn due to lack of numbers.

They believe that siting a nursery facility in the grounds of a senior school is inappropriate and that it would be better suited to a brown-field site in another part of Alton where it would not add to the “traffic chaos” caused at peak times, not just by people trying to make their way to work but dropping off or picking up from three schools – Eggar’s, Treloar School and College, and Andrews Endowed School in Holybourne.

And they are urging people who have to sit in the traffic, as they try to get in and out of Alton on a daily basis using London Road, to register their concerns with EHDC planners over the Tootsies Day Nursery application (21280/012) before the August 2 closing date.