Benedict House Preparatory School Sidcup to allow use of games area

Bexley Council's planning committee is expected to grant permission for Benedict House Preparatory School to allow community use of its multi-use games area at a meeting next Thursday (April 16).

While plans were already approved for a new detached sports hall and a games area in March 2023, the school applied to vary one of the approval conditions to allow the public to use the games area at certain times.

The proposal will allow community access to the facility outside normal school hours, and only between 9am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, and between 10am and 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

Other restrictions include that the area should not be used for community purposes for more than six hours in a 24-hour period, with a maximum group size of ten individuals.

The detached sports hall building will continue to be used only by students and staff of Benedict House.

Both facilities are still under construction at the school in Victoria Road, Sidcup.

There were 57 letters of objection in response to the change - as well as a petition signed by 48 individuals - raising concerns about access and parking and noise levels.

Councillors Andy Dourmoush and Richard Diment also opposed the proposal, again highlighting issues with parking and noise pollution, alongside a lack of disabled facilities at the site.

However, a council report published ahead of the planning committee concluded that no "unacceptable impacts" are expected to parking or highway safety.

The report said: "The proposed removal of the original condition and introduction of updated conditions to enable and regulate limited community use of the approved MUGA [multi-use games area] is acceptable.

"The level of use would remain modest, time‑restricted, and subject to appropriate safeguards.

"With these controls in place, no unacceptable impacts on residential amenity, parking, or highway safety are anticipated."