Leamington school gets planning approval for long-term solution to kitchen emergency

An emergency flue was installed at the kitchen of Milverton Primary School, in Greatheed Road, after the previous system was condemned earlier this year when it was declared unsafe.

Pictures of the current system were shown to councillors at this week’s [TUE] regulatory committee of Warwickshire County Council as they considered granting planning permission to a replacement which would be covered in black rubber and hidden behind a cedar screen.

Planning assistant Sally Panayi said there had also been complaints from neighbours about noise levels and the smell emitted from the system which discharges onto a service road between houses in Greatheed Road and Rugby Road.

She explained that the replacement would include filters to reduce the odours coming from the flue and the outlet would be turned around so that it faced away from the access road, something which had met with approval from environmental health officers.

Councillors were also told that the school was in Leamington’s conservation area and one councillor said that the cedar screen might actually improve the look of the building.

Cllr Bill Gifford (Lib Dem Leamington Milverton) said: “This is in the middle of my ward and I was approached by residents particularly when the emergency flue went up which has been the cause of the issues and concerns.

“I have to say that this is a solution that meets the concerns of the residents. There are not a vast number of objections and a lot of the residents send their children to Milverton School and they don’t want their school not to have a kitchen.

“I am perfectly happy that this application will deal with the odours and the noise and I think the cedar cladding will improve and enhance the conservation area.”

Councillors agreed to approve the plans, which had been put forward by the county council, in the knowledge that the replacement flue was expected to be in place for up to two years when plans would be put forward for a new long-term solution.