By Maria Zaccaro, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to expand Itchen College in Middle Road, Bitterne have been given the green light.

Photo by Ardyer14 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

 

Five new classrooms and two offices are to be built.

The move would allow the college – which currently has 1,350 students – to accommodate an extra 135 learners.

Some residents had raised concerns over the impact of the expansion on parking and traffic in the area.

But planning bosses recommended the approval of the plans.

The Itchen Residents’ Committee previously asked for the proposals to be discussed by the city council Planning and Rights of Way Panel “for further consultation on traffic and parking implications in the area”.

At a meeting held on Tuesday night, a planning officer told councillors that mitigation measures would be put in place.

She said: “It is clear that the scheme will have an impact on the highway. However, there’s availability from the road. But this needs to be balanced against the need for education in this area.”

Cllr James Baillie, cabinet member for education and a Sholing ward councillor, said: “Keeping our young people and improving the offer within Southampton so that they don’t feel they have to travel outside of the city is very important. We need to make sure they have the offer in Southampton. This project is doing just that.”

Planners previously said a parking survey indicated that given the road capacity there would not be “a detrimental overspill in parking within the nearby roads”.

However one comment on the plans suggested that the survey didn’t cover the most appropriate times for traffic, and in particular college bus parking near the college.

Plans were however unanimously approved by Southampton City Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Panel.