What’s planned at Grosvenor Hall?

As part of our commitment to developing positive relationships with our neighbours and following some questions about our plans, we are issuing the following statement as a “questions answered” response. We are very grateful for the support that we have received so far from a large number of local residents for what we are trying to achieve in redeveloping Grosvenor Hall as an educational activity centre for schools and children.

The list provided below gives detailed information on the most common questions being asked by local residents:

What developments are you seeking planning permission for at Grosvenor Hall?

We are seeking planning permission for a novice Watersports pool, a caving system and some junior quad tracks on the boundary by Grosvenor Drive. The requirements for Karts have been removed as it is not feasible to create a suitable track and sound test within the planning period timescale.

Why have I only just heard about this?

Kingswood consulted with many of the local stake-holders prior to purchasing the site in the Spring of 2009. We have also spoken with local planners and councillors and addressed an open meeting of the Kennington Community Forum in May 2009 where a 10 minute video detailing all aspects of how our educational and adventure programmes operate and including examples of Watersports, caving, quads and kart activities at the same time.

For the past 9 months a plan of the proposed site has also been available to view on the Grosvenor Hall website which details the Junior Kart tracks and Novice Watersports lake. Kingswood has also spoken to other local interest groups and arranged for a tour of the site in November 2009. We also wrote to residents who expressed concerns in January 2010 and have arranged a number of meetings with neighbours to discuss our future plans for the centre.

This was followed up by a presentation in January 2010 at a very well attended meeting of Kennington Communitty Forum with a subsequent open-floor Q&A session with many questions being openly discussed. At the end of this process the Forum voted to overwhelmingly support the applications. If you have only just become aware of this then it is because Ashford Borough Council will have recently contacted you as part of the planning process. Rest assured local residents still have time to respond to these proposals.

Could the watersports pool become a health-hazard with insects and particularly mosquitoes?

The watersports pool has to comply with strict guidelines as a man-made water feature/reservoir. It is true that mosquitoes do breed by stagnant water but the pool is designed much like a swimming pool with moving water and filtration. Mosquito breeding sites have a common characteristic of being located near stagnant water which is not subject to significant wind or wave action or water flow. Flowing streams, tidal creeks, large ponds are not typically mosquito breeding sites.

Could fumes from the quad tracks be a problem?

There are some suggestions that the quads may generate high levels of fumes. We would not subject groups of children, who are in much closer proximity to the quads, to any form of pollution, so the housing, which is a further distance away, will not be affected. We operate junior tracks elsewhere and have never encountered this problem.

Will you be putting in lots of new flood-lights which will shine in my house late at night?

Since the autumn of 2009 we been using the existing security lighting that operated for many years when Grosvenor Hall was a police training centre. To save costs we have been switching most of security lighting off at about 9pm rather than leaving it on all night as was the case with the PTC. We hope to maintain this once fully operating unless we have significant security or vandalism problems. We have installed infra-red cameras to hopefully allow us to achieve this.

No new lighting has been added and we are not intending to put any additional floodlighting in place, which in any case would require a separate planning application and consultation period.

Will the quad tracks produce a noise nuisance?

We are very mindful to have good relations with our neighbours. As part of the planning process, we have already undertaken a noise survey of three quads running simultaneously at the exact area that the tracks will be sited. Readings taken by Bockhanger Lane on a dry and sunny day with a light breeze indicated “noise emission levels from the quad bikes were inaudible at the boundary of Kingswood’s premises at Grosvenor Hall due to traffic noise from the M20 being the predominant noise source”. Please also note that planning permission does not allow ourselves to generate nuisance levels of noise once these tracks are in operation and this is taken into account within our operating procedures.

It is very difficult to arrange for noise testing of junior karts without actually building the tracks so we are considering in the short-term replacing them with an additional quad track running. Obviously the make-up of quads/karts would be reflected in any noise testing and final applications.

How can I be sure though?

Kingswood repeated the sound tests on the morning of Thursday 28th January 2010 to further reassure local residents and give them the opportunity to actually hear for themselves if their property would be affected. These tests were notified in advance to anyone who had contacted Kingswood with concerns, as well as on the web and at the local community Kennington Forum meeting.

Kingswood also asked Ashford Council’s Environmental Health department to assist in the monitoring process to ensure it was fair, robust and reliable. Initial indications have supported the original application findings in that the sound from the junior tracks was generally inaudible above the ambient noise from the locality and M20 motorway. Measurements were taken in front of at Bock hanger Lane, Larch Walk and all other properties that could potentially be affected on the boundary of the Kingswood Educational Campus. Kingswood received no adverse comments from any neighbouring properties whilst the tests were carried out for a prolonged 3 hour period.
You can download the full report including the findings and recommendations from the planning section of the Ashford Borough Council website by visiting:
http://www.ashford.gov.uk/online_planning/DCCore/Details/caseSummary.aspx?systemkey=86744

If there was any noise, could you put in sound protection measures?

Yes, a local resident has already correctly suggested that soil bunds could be used to dampen noise but we believe the sound reports will reassure local residents that this won’t be necessary.

Is it true that you might introduce noisier activities at a later stage?

We operate pretty much like a school and 10% of our guests at any one time are teachers. In the past twenty years we have changed our educational ICT and environmental programmes in line with the National Curriculum but the adventure programme has remained broadly the same. We do not anticipate changing our adventure programme but would clearly need planning consent for anything which would introduce a significant noise consequence for our neighbours.

Will you operate the Police Training college tannoy system?

Yes, but only occasionally during the week rather than regularly every day.

What time do students go to bed?

Predominantly between 9pm and 10pm. Some groups stay up later in the summer but would be indoors after dark. The average age of a Kingswood student is 12 years and bed times reflect this.

Do you have experience in operating your centres with neighbouring properties nearby?

We have operated centres for many years in the Isle of Wight, Norfolk and Albrighton with neighbouring properties immediately on the boundaries and indeed closer than at Grosvenor Hall. We do not have any substantive issues with our neighbours who support the Kingswood ethos but clearly also want to enjoy their homes.

How many children will be using the various activities?

The centre has almost 200,000 sq ft of indoor space and the outdoor activities are only one aspect of a very diverse educational programme. The 25000 sq ft indoor sports hall can cater for up to 200 students, the education block up to 330 students, aquatics centre 45 students and the adventure park 300 students with other activities available for up to 150 students. However the number of students in any given area at any one time will invariably be a fraction of these amounts. Indeed in the first year average occupancy will be around 250 students rising to 400 in year 3. Maximum capacities occur during peak season which is school days in June and July. In year 1 maximum capacity will be 375 but will increase as the centre becomes established. Most schools arrive at centre on Monday afternoons and depart on Friday afternoons.

As stated we already successfully operate similar sized centres in the UK with neighbours who have homes which are immediately on our boundaries

Is it true that part of the site will be sold off for redevelopment?

It is our hope that Grosvenor Hall will be commercially viable ensuring that residential development either now or in the future will not be necessary.

However the company has had discussions throughout 2009 with a national house builder who since 2006 has been trying to develop the site. We have also met with Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council about areas that could be developed in the immediate future. Kingswood has always been very open in explaining that as this site has already been identified for residential development purposes if large areas are not utilized for the schools activity programme or it is commercially necessary due to Grosvenor Hall not generating enough student visitors, we will then endeavour to sell off some of the 50 acres. We have agreed to review matters at the end of 2010.

Will the community get to benefit from Grosvenor Hall?

As you may be aware, the centre was closed down in 2005 and the centre was allowed to deteriote significantly over the past few years. We have been busy restoring the main buildings, classrooms and sports facilities. In April, we will be inviting children within the local community to experience many of the exciting activities Grosvenor Hall now offers. We will also be looking to involve the community and local clubs in projects that we have planned in 2010.

What Next?

We open our doors to the first visiting schools in March 2010. We hope to make Grosvenor Hall the leading education and adventure centre in the South-East enabling young people to learn about themselves, each other and the world around them in a secure, safe and exciting environment. We are confident that working in partnership with the local community both as neighbours and employers we will start a new and exciting chapter in the long history of this site. We are committed to establishing Grosvenor Hall as a facility that generates a real sense of pride within the local community.

What if as a local resident I still have concerns?

We have already met with many of our neighbours who have enjoyed a tour of the site and discussed our future plans over a cup of coffee. If you would like to meet with us and find out more about Grosvenor Hall then please contact Cherie Morgan on cherie.morgan@kingswood.co.uk or on 01233 612617.

We hope to keep you informed of progress and any changes so please check back for an update on our planning proposals.