Roundhay School - Primary - Leeds City Council

Roundhay School - Primary 

Design and Access Statement in support of a planning application for the 

erection of a Two Form Entry Primary School at Wetherby Road, Leeds 

Roundhay School - Primary


View down the site towards Wetherby Road 

Looking across the former school site 

Introduction 


The scheme under consideration consists of a new 

Primary School which is being developed as a 

second site for Roundhay School Technology and 

Language College, extending their overall age range 

from 18 years down to 4. The demand for places set 

out by Leeds City Council requires that the school is 

developed as a two form entry which will ultimately 

accommodate around 420 children. It will be 

located on the former Braim Wood School site. This 

was a boys only high school which was determined 

should be closed with effect from September 2005 

as a result of falling school rolls. 

This former school site on Wetherby Road lies within 

the Green Belt and also falls within the Roundhay 

Conservation Area. All the former school buildings 

have been cleared although various floor slabs, 

retaining walls, access and parking areas remain in 

situ. The site has been the subject of vandalism and 

several of the walls are sprayed with graffiti. The 

structural integrity of the retaining walls is currently 

unknown and in the design for the development 

these will be examined and any necessary remedial 

measures undertaken.

aerial of the site 

NORTH 

50M 

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85 

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E L M E T E L A N E

A key feature of the site, identified on the aerial 

view here, is the difference in levels across the site 

which slopes up from Wetherby Road, initially in a 

gradual manner but more severely towards the 

northern end of the site. The higher levels exist as a 

series of terraces, the lower formerly occupied by 

the secondary school buildings and the second a 

hard play area with, at a slightly raised level again, 

the former hard tennis courts. The Northern 

boundary of the proposed site is approximately the 

upper retaining wall which at its highest is around 3 

metres above the hard play area and supports an 

upper area providing playing fields, not included in 

this development. In all, from Wetherby Road to the 

upper playing fields, the level difference is around 20 

metres. 

The site is relatively open but bounded to the East 

and South, to Elmete Lane and Wetherby Road 

respectively, by a belt of mature trees. To the 

Eastern boundary the site is again enclosed by 

mature trees but these largely fall outside the site 

boundary. Beyond the boundary and above the 

existing retaining wall to the North there is a screen 

of trees and bushes with the canopies of mature 

trees visible beyond the former grass play areas to 

the North. A vehicular access exists directly from 

Wetherby Road and there is also a second point of 

access to the east off Elmete Lane. 


As noted, the scheme falls within the Roundhay 

Conservation Area. This lies to the North East of the 

City Centre and is the largest in the district with an 

area of approximately 500 hectares. It has a diverse 

and varied landscape with five distinct character 

areas, the site of the new school falling within area 

2. This is characterised by widely spaced villas and 

farmhouses in a predominantly agricultural 

landscape. Thick tree belts on the boundaries 

provide the dominant feature of the area and with 

the retention of trees within the site, subject to 

detailed survey of their condition, this character will 

be unaffected with Elmete Lane, to the East of the 

site, retaining its original, tree lined character. The 

Conservation Area Appraisal notes that openness 

around buildings is important to the character of this 

part of the conservation area. The proposed 

scheme will maintain this feature and is of smaller 

footprint and height than the former secondary 

school in the same location.

site photos 

lower terrace – former secondary school site panorama 

lower site, looking Northwards towards the proposed new school location 

Wetherby Road opposite the existing entrance to the site 

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85 

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DESIGN 

Use 

The proposal is for the primary school provision 

required by Leeds City Council and results from their 

examination of demand, as outlined in the 

accompanying Justification Statement. It will 

provide an ‘all-through’ school by changing the age 

range of Roundhay School Technology and Language 

College from 11 -18 to 4 - 18 and increase the 

overall net capacity of the school to accommodate 

the 4 to 11 year olds. 

The Primary section of the school, for the 4 – 11 

year olds and the subject of this application, will 

operate as a ‘split site’ part of Roundhay School. 

Initially, the admissions will be to the Reception class 

and will be limited to 60 for September 2012. Over 

seven years the primary phase will grow until the 

school reaches it full capacity of 420 places in 2019. 

Hence the proposal made within this planning 

application will create the required 60 places for 

September 2012 and take the total number of 

reception places in Roundhay to 540. 

Amount 


The building will provide 14 classrooms, 1 large hall, 1 

small hall, learning resource centre, design and 

technology space, group rooms, office and staff areas, 

storage, toilets, kitchen and plant areas. In all a gross 

area of 3193 sq m is included in the proposal. This 

includes other external enclosures such as the substation 

and external storage as well as canopies and 

overhangs. The site area allocated for the development is 

approximately 28,085 sq m. 

[The useable area scheduled in response to BB99 is 2,339 

sq m.]

site photos 

upper playing fields – do not form part of the proposed site 

mid terrace 

mid terrace 

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Elmete Lane

topography and access 

……a south facing slope 

NORTH 

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access 

83.5 

….a series of 

plateaus 


upper terrace 

mid terrace 

lower terrace 

lower site - 

existing 

playing field 

access 

E L M E T E L A N E 

Overall site 

area shown = 

c. 28,085 sq m

site levels 

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75 

90 

Gradient 1 in 12 1 in 6 

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section 

NORTH 

50M 

90 

85 

80 

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access 

….a series of 

plateaus 


section 

access 

E L M E T E L A N E

DESIGN 

Layout 

The proposed site for the new school has an overall area 

of 28,085 sq m. While this exceeds the minimum site 

area of Building Bulleting 99 by over 50% and would 

therefore suggest that a range of options for siting the 

school would be available, the changes of level on the 

site, noted earlier, begin to limit the choices. The site 

slopes up by around 10 metres from the entrance on 

Wetherby Road to a first plateau where the secondary 

school was located, a rise at an average gradient of 

around 1 in 12. The second plateau to the immediate 

North of the old school site is at a level approximately 

3.5m higher again, with the tennis courts to the Western 

end raise a further 1.5m. 

So, with the site operating on these various levels, a 

layout for the school, a location on the site and the 

associated external play and activity areas had to be 

planned to achieve the best functional arrangements and 

utilisation of the space. The lower part of the site, with 

earlier modified ground levels, forms a gently sloping 

area which accommodates a grass sports pitch area 

which is protected and therefore does not present an 

option for siting of the school. Thus, with the lower site 

not available for development, the school is required to 

be sited towards the upper part of the site with its 

several changes of level, posing a challenge in terms of 


providing full access to the school and movement around 

the site. These constraints began to suggest an option 

which would use the school building’s internal circulation 

to provide a physical link between the lower, playing field 

area and the upper area of the site. 

Moreover, the school is not simply a built element to be 

accommodated on the site but must be regarded with its 

associated external play areas and particularly the 

extended teaching spaces immediately accessible to and 

from the school itself. In effect, this extended area of the 

school and its associated external spaces amounts to 

around 3000 sq m. 

Given this extended footprint and the nature of the site 

and its levels, the need for accessibility to the school and 

from the school into the various external areas, a solution 

which again placed the built form on the first terrace as 

the former school resulted. Furthermore, the whole 

extended footprint could not readily be accommodated 

as a single level so a two storey solution was required. 

This allowed for the necessary external spaces around 

the building, including the service area and car parking 

but at the same time enabled a strategy of linkage , in the 

form of bridges, to be adopted at first floor level which 

gives a direct access from the school to the higher level 

terrace which, as noted above, is around 3.5m, 

approximately a storey height, above the lower terrace.

Internally the layout of the building responds to the 

functional brief for the school, key areas being the 

classrooms themselves which require good 

environmental design to create the best conditions for 

learning. The classrooms are therefore arranged on two 

floors either side of the circulation spaces through the 

building, and arranged to place the younger children, 

Reception and Key Stage 1 in six classrooms on the 

ground floor to give direct access to their associated 

external play areas. This arrangement provides eight 

classrooms on the upper floor, the balance of area on the 

ground floor accommodating the administration area of 

the school. The double height space of the combined 

large and small halls are set to the North or rear of the 

building as seen from Wetherby Road approach, placing 

the classrooms and the admin area to what is effectively 

the ‘front’ of the building. In conjunction with the school, 

the internal layout has then been developed to distribute 

all the support spaces in appropriate relationships with 

the classrooms. The result is a series of pairs of 

classrooms with support facilities located between. 

The main body of the school, including the halls, is 

located parallel to the arrangement of terraces, the 

westerly ‘pavilion’ turned forward to a southerly aspect, 

opening the space to the rear particularly to give aspect 

and play space for the only ground floor classroom in this 

northern orientation. 


It is recognised that the proposed primary school is 

located in an area of significant quality in terms of its 

Green Belt and Conservation Area status. As such, the 

school will have an impact in this setting, although the 

volume of the scheme is significantly less than the former 

Braim Wood High School which previously occupied the 

site. 

The site is relatively open within a surrounding thick belt 

of mature trees, characteristic of the Conservation Area, 

but the demolition of the former school was only partial 

in that, due to the slope of the site, a series of retaining 

structures and hard play areas were left in place rather 

than restoring the site to its former condition. With 

vandalism and the application of graffiti to many of the 

walls there is an air of neglect and dereliction. 

The proposed new school will address these conditions as 

well as providing a building which respects its context. 

Just as this is characterised by widely spaced villas and 

farmhouses the new school will reflect this characteristic 

with a scale and materiality and landscape treatment 

which will complement this setting. 

Scale 

The school is of modest proportions, planned over two 

storeys with an approximate 7.5 metres to the eaves and 


9 metres to the ridge. The double height volume in the 

scheme, the main hall space, fall within this same 

profile. The pairing of classrooms has been expressed in 

the form of the building which is arranged as three, two 

storey ‘pavilions’ interlinked by support areas such as the 

library and the main entrance itself, which is expressed as 

a double height portal. The arrangement of fenestration 

to the facades and of materials and finishes wiil reflect 

the two storey arrangement and, coupled with the 

expression of the three key elements, have the effect of 

breaking down the mass and reducing the building’s 

scale. 

Appearance 

The materials of the scheme will be a combination of a 

brick base which ‘anchors’ the scheme into the 

landscape, recycled timber composite cladding and 

rendered walls, differentiating the ‘pavilions’. Small 

splashes of colour, in cladding elements around windows, 

in a range representing spring through to autumn, will 

enliven the facades.

External environment 

Site context 

The site is positioned to the north east of Leeds and 

marks a sharp transition from the densely developed 

suburban areas to the west and the predominantly 

agricultural land to the north and east. The site is located 

to the immediate north of the Wetherby Road between 

Roundhay Park and the A58 on the former Braim Wood 

High School grounds. 

The area lies to the north of Natural England Landscape 

Character Area No 38: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and 

Yorkshire Coalfield which is characterised by alternating 

bands of wet mudstones and shales and drier bands of 

sandstone and gritstones. It has had a long and 

interesting interaction with human activity. There are 

records of the establishment of the Round Hay and 

Rothwell Hay hunting parks in the eleventh century and 

grazing rights of the land around Round Hay to the 

Cisterncian Monks of Kirkstall Abbey. The types of 

activity identified indicate that the area was 

predominantly wooded. The natural resources of the 

area, based largely on its geological attributes supported 

1. Roundhay Park 

2. Education & leisure facilities 

3. Medieval earthworks 

4. Farmland 

5. Suburban settlement 

6. Wetherby Road 


5 

1 2 

various industrial activities which in turn attracted a 

greater population to the town of Leeds and resulted in 

the incremental industrialisation of the town and the 

extension of the associated suburban landscape. 

3 

2 

6 

4

Evolution of the site 

It appears from the earliest OS plans (1850’s) that the site 

was part of the grounds of Elmete Hall, adjacent to 

Roundhay Park. During the later half of the 19 th century 

there appears to have been an intensive period of tree 

planting to establish the parkland character associated 

with the grounds of Elmete Hall and which remain largely 

intact in the existing landscape setting. The areas of 

perimeter planting associated with the application the 

site are clearly indicated on the 1893 OS plan. This 

together with the similar parkland character of the 

adjacent Roundhay Park has led to a large distinctive 

landscape resource to the north east of Leeds. 

Following the Second World War the Elmete Lane area 

was developed to accommodate a number a new 

educational developments including Braim Wood High 

School, providing secondary school facilities on the 

present site. 

The former school buildings were demolished 

approximately five years ago. There has been no 

subsequent management of the school grounds which 

has resulted in the development of rudimentary 


wasteland scrub vegetation on the remnant hard surfaces 

associated with the school, its car parking and tarmac 

play ground areas. The site is currently used for informal 

dog walking as well as more antisocial activities. 

The site is surrounded by the following landuses 

1. Agricultural land to the east of Elmete Lane and 

south of Wetherby Road 

2. Unused sports pitches to the immediate north of 

the site with no official public access 

3. Churchyard and informal green space associated 

with the historic buildings of the St John’s Alms 

Houses complex.


Site analysis 

The site comprises a series of broad terraces with a 

southerly aspect that have been set within the older 

landscape of the nineteenth century parkland. The 

perimeter planting and boundary to the west, south and 

east of the site reflect the 1893 OS plan, which together 

with the estimated age of the trees indicate these 

elements to be part of the former Elmete Hall grounds. 

Due to their age, the trees are becoming increasingly 

senile and action needs to be taken to ensure the 

continuity of tree cover to these areas. In addition a 

number of trees show signs of disease that may also 

compromise their ongoing longevity. 

The landform within this historic framework has been 

altered to accommodate the needs of the former Braim 

Wood High School and include terraces for tennis, hard 

play, the former building footprint, parking areas and a 

sports pitch within the site area and a number of grass 

pitches immediately north of the site boundary. 


The grassland associated with the former sports pitch to 

the south of the site has become degraded for active use 

and includes areas of noxious weeds, indeed there is 

evidence of scrub invasion in some areas. A careful 

management regime would be required to return this 

area to support active use. 

There are areas of natural habitat development that may 

provide the opportunity to be developed as a wildlife 

resource for the future users of the site.


1 Mature trees: Parkland tree planting present 

on the 1893 OS plan, associated with the 

historic landscape of the grounds of Elmete 

Hall enclose the site. Species include beech, 

oak, cherry and horse chestnut. Some trees 

show signs of senescence whilst others suffer 

from disease. 

2 Relict school structures: Retaining walls 

currently create visually intrusive, degrading 

elements within the wider landscape. 

3 Derelict hard standing: Large areas of derelict 

hard standing associated with the former 

school buildings are locally visually degrading 

and together with the retaining walls 

encourage a variety of anti-social activities. 

4 Change of level across the site: The site 

consists of a series of terraces, separated by 

retaining walls and/or areas of steeply sloping 

land. 

5 Former sports pitch: The current grass 

composition is poor and the area suffers 

localised invasion of noxious weeds and scrub 

vegetation. An ongoing management regime 

will be required to bring the area back into a 

condition capable of supporting more 

intensive use. 

6 Historic features: Remnants of a former 

historic landscape associated with Elmete Hall. 

The main gates, stone boundary wall and 

mature trees form a distinctive frontage to 

Wetherby Road. These features were present 

on the 1893 OS Plan. 


1 4 

2 5 

3 6

Visibility of site 

Due to the aspect, existing tree cover and surrounding 

landuses, the visibility of the site is limited. The 

perimeter planting encloses and screens the majority of 

the lower aspects of the site. The existing concrete clad 

retaining wall and flight of steps at the top of the site are 

visible in isolated distant views from residential areas of 

Asket Hill and Oakwood to the south/southwest. These 

isolated visually degrading elements are seen within the 

otherwise densely treed landscape of the Roundhay 

parkland and the Beechwood agricultural land. 

Properties in closer proximity to the site have principal 

views away from the site and are screened by intervening 

mature vegetation cover. Views from the adjacent roads 

(Wetherby Road and Elmete Lane) are screened by 

intervening vegetation and existing site boundary 

treatments. Views into the site occur from higher 

elevations of the public right of way crossing Asket Hill 

agricultural land (see photograph). The view, containing 

upper elevations of Elmete Hall and intervening mature 

tree planting is currently degraded by the presence of 

derelict structures, daubed with graffiti and isolated dead 

trees in the perimeter planting along Wetherby Road. 

View towards site from Asket Hill 


Masterplan 

The site currently comprises a number of beneficial and 

degrading elements which have been addressed as 

necessary to develop a sensitive design response to 

its ongoing evolution. It utilises the derelict 

elements of the former school whilst providing the 

potential to conserve and enhance the natural 

assets of the more historic landscape. 


See the most recent revision submitted with the application

Proposed character areas 

The external environment proposed around the school 

building can be subdivided into a number of character 

areas as described below: 

1 Entrance & access to building from Wetherby Road 

The main pedestrian access point subtly orientates 

walkers towards the main entrance of the building. The 

path is set within a parkland type landscape with an 

informal avenue of striking trees such as Fraxinus 

angustifolia ‘Raywood’ the Claret Ash to reflect the 

landscape character of the surrounding parkland 

landscape and to provide an attractive walking route to 

the school building. A secondary, longer access route 

provides a DDA compliant route and allows variety and 

interest as an alternative route. 

2 The main entrance to the school is marked by a small 

upper level terrace and a stepped amphitheatre that 

overlooks the main access path and the sports pitch to 

the south of the site. Access to each classroom is 

achievable from the surrounding external environment 

to enable more efficient and personal drop off and pick 

up. 

3 The area immediately surrounding the school building 

comprises a balance of bespoke hard and soft spaces to 

allow opportunities for a variety of outdoor teaching and 

play activities for Reception and Key Stage 1 classes. 

4 Key stage 2 activities are concentrated to the upper 

terrace and comprise hard and soft, social and active 


spaces as well as supervised access in the higher level 

hard court area. Growing and habitat areas can be 

incorporated into the soft landscape elements of this 

area. 

5 Soft sport pitch to the south of the school. The existing 

lower terrace will be retained and the existing grassland 

sward managed to create a junior sized sports pitch. 

The grassland surrounding the formal pitch area may be 

subject to a different mowing regime to encourage wild 

flower establishment and to increase the number of 

habitats throughout the site. 

6 Perimeter planting. The ongoing management of the 

existing mature tree cover to the eastern, southern and 

western perimeter of the site will be addressed to 

maintain the continuity of the estate parkland planting 

associated with the grounds of Elmete Hall. This mature 

setting will provide the basis for the development of 

wildlife areas and shall be incorporated within the 

scheme. 

7 Parking and service areas. 

A service area and staff car park is provided to the east 

of the site. Its orientation minimises the impact on 

existing mature trees in the vicinity and together with 

the re-configuration of the junction with Elmete Lane 

creates a discrete functional area for school uses only. It 

is not intended as a school drop off point. A detached 

pedestrian access point is positioned to the south along 

Elmete Lane to reinforce this position.

Site security 

The perimeter of the site will have varying treatments to 

integrate with the existing character whilst ensuring the 

site is secure. 

The existing stone wall and main entrance gates on 

Wetherby Road, associated with the grounds of Elmete 

Hall, will be retained and restored. The existing hedge 

line on Elmete Lane between the junction with Wetherby 

Road and the entrance to the former school will be 

retained and supplemented as necessary to retain the 

appearance of a soft boundary along this informal lane. 

These boundaries will be supplemented by a dark green 

2.4m high weld mesh fence such as Paladin or Osogril. 

The existing security fencing above the existing entrance 

off Elmete Lane and along the western boundary of the 

site will be retained. 

A new length of dark green, 2.4m high weld mesh type 

security fencing will be erected along the northern 

boundary 2m to the north of the existing retaining walls 

that mark the edge of the existing former playground and 

tennis courts. 

The final position of new fence lines will be agreed on 

site to minimise impact on the existing mature trees. 

Retaining walls 


The impact of existing retaining walls will be softened by 

localised re-grading works that will make the transition 

between levels and remove the necessity for some 

retaining walls entirely and by associated planting that 

may obscure or utilise the shelter and southerly aspect of 

the wall as a favourable growing position . 

Where retaining walls are incorporated within the 

proposals, adequate security fencing is provided to 

highlight the potential drop or access to the top of the 

walls is restricted.

Indicative hard materials palette 

A simple yet high quality palette of materials is suggested 

that will be in keeping with the parkland setting of the 

building. The final surface material detail is to be 

confirmed with the Local Authority prior to start on site. 

A number of small structures are required to support the 

operation of the school. These have been sited 

sympathetically within the environment to minimise 

visual impact on the landscape. 


Indicative soft materials palette 

The proposed plant compositions will differ within the 

character areas noted to integrate with the existing relict 

parkland character and to support and enhance the 

activities envisaged within the proposed character areas 

of the site. The species proposed are not known to have 

irritant or poisonous attributes. 

Perimeter parkland continuity % mix Size Density 

60% Tree planting 

Quercus robur Pendunculate oak 10 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

Betula pendula Silver birch 5 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

Sorbus aucuparia Rowan 5 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

Fagus sylvatica Beech 15 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

Pinus sylvestris Scots pine 5 80 - 100mm 1/0.25m 2 

Sorbus aria Whitebeam 10 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

Prunus avium Wild cherry 10 100 - 125mm 1/0.25m 2 

40% Understorey/edge mix - planted towards canopy edge 

Corylus avellana Hazel 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Sambucus nigra Elder 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Ilex aquifolium Holly 5 400 - 600mm 1/0.5m 2 

Prunus lusitanica Portuguese laurel 5 400 - 600mm 1/0.5m 2 

Buddleia globosa 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Lonicera fragrantissima 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Cotoneaster lacteus 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Philadelphus 'Beauclerk' 5 600 - 800mm 1/0.5m 2 

Avenue 

Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high 

Orchard ring to east of avenue 

Amalanchier lamarkii Multi-stem: Min 3 trunks, 3m high 

Marker tree to replace large sycamore adjacent to upper hard play area 

Acer rubrum Red maple Semi mature: 20 - 25mm girth, 4.5m high 


Indicative soft materials palette 

(cont.) 

Structure planting large Structure planting low Wild flower meadow 

Planting along base of retaining wall to lessen visual impact. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus repens 200 - 300D 5/m 2 

British Seed Houses WF1 Wild flower meadow mix 

Plant choice to ensure continual seasonal interest making reference to the walled Cytisus x praecox 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Sow at a rate of 1.0g/m 2 

gardens associated with estate landscape types. Choisya ternata 200 - 300 5/m 2 

MIXTURE 

Rosmarinus officinalis 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Agrostemma githago Corn Cockle 

Quercus ilex Holm oak Semi mature: 20 - 25mm girth, 4.5m high Lavandula angustifolia 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Anthenmis arvensis Corn Camomile 

Planted to screen views towards service yard Potentilla 'Abbotswood' 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Centaurea cyanus Cornflower 

Prunus lusitanica 400 - 600mm 2/m 2 

Caryopteris x clandonensis 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Centaurea nigraCommon Knapweed 

Buddleia globosa 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' 400 - 600 5/m 2 

Chrysanthemum Corn segetum Marigold 

Buddleia x Lochinch 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Elaeagnus x ebbingei 'Gilt Edge' 400 - 600 5/m 2 

Digitalis purpurea Foxglove 

Buddleia davidii 'Black Knight' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Lonicera pileata 300 - 400D 5/m 2 

Hypericum perforatum St John’s Wort 

Ceanothus 'Blue Skies' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Leucanthemum Ox-eye vulgareDaisy 

Lonicera fragrantissima 400 - 600mm 2/m 2 

Viburnum davidii 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot Trefoil 

Cotoneaster lacteus 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Hebe albicans 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Papaver rhoeasCorn Poppy 

Philadelphus 'Beauclerk' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain 

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Prunella vulgaris Self-Heal 

Ribes x gordonianum 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Ornamental tree planting within active play areas Silene alba White Campion 

Phlomis fructicosa 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Amalanchier lamarkii EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Vicia sativa Common Vetch 

Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Betula albosinensis 'Fascination' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high 

Hebe 'Marjorie' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Malus hupehensis EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Bulb planting within wild flower meadow 

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Narcissus February gold 

Mahonia x media 'Charity' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Prunus 'Tai Haku' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Crocus tommasinianus 

Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' 600 - 800mm 2/m 2 

Sorbus aria 'Majestica' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Narcissus White Lady 

Sorbus 'White Wax' EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Galanthsu nivalis 

Ornamental shrub planting to rear of dining area Styrax japonica EHS: 18 - 20mm girth, 4.5m high Hyacinthoides non-scripta 

Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea' 200 - 300 5/m 2 

Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' 400 - 600 5/m 2 

Forsythia'Maree d'Or' 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Hebe 'Youngii' 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Perovskia 'Bluespire' 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Philadelphus 'Manteau d'Hermine' 300 - 400 5/m 2 

Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' 300 - 400 5/m 2 


Initial thoughts on section and ventilation strategy 


Sustainability, energy and carbon 

output 

The school’s design has been developed with a clear 

intention to provide a quality environment while 

minimising its use of energy and carbon output. The 

building will be well insulated with good levels of daylight 

and, on the whole, provided with natural ventilation. The 

form of the building and its orientation responds to this 

principle - the two storey form is compact and limits the 

envelope both reducing the use of materials and the heat 

losses. Windows, principally designed to be in a South or 

North orientation, have been modeled to provide good 

levels of daylight which, by the use of controls on the 

artificial lighting, will reduce the energy consumption. At 

the same time, an overhanging roof or brise soleil will 

reduce the problems of solar gain and this is combined 

with a ventilation strategy to moderate internal 

temperatures and to allow cooling to take place 

overnight. 

Air quality is managed by the use of automated 

ventilation controls on window vents, and cross 

ventilation is enhanced by the use of vertical shafts rising 

to roof level from the ground floor classrooms and with 

clerestorey opening lights to the rear of the first floor 


classrooms. This feature is incorporated by the tilting of 

the roofs towards the centre and this is reflected in 

thesloping internal ceilings on the upper floor which will 

give light and airy teaching spaces. On the ground floor, 

and in the absence of any mechanical ventilation 

requirements, ceiling heights will be maximised . 

With a good level of insulation and low heating energy 

demands consideration will be given to efficient 

environmental systems combined with a renewable 

energy contribution which will enable the building to 

perform better than the Building Regulation 

requirements and in line with sustainability criteria. 

Materials for the scheme will be carefully chosen in 

consideration of their ‘green rating’, the off-site 

fabrication process itself leading to the minimising of 

waste in construction and a reduction in transportation 

and site impacts. A green travel plan will support 

sustainable access to the site which will be provided with 

accessible routes for pedestrians and cyclists and 

adequate cycle storage. This will comprise: 

• 2 no. lockable staff cycle boxes. 

• 12 no. pupil cycle racks in covered, lockable enclosure 

with space for a scooter rack. 

• 2 no Sheffield type cycle holders for visitors.

The proposed building solution balances the provision of 

thermal comfort, robust design solutions and low energy 

delivery to provide a high quality primary school facility. 

Energy Efficiency: 

The design of any building, where the target is to better 

minimum standards set by Building Regulations, always 

starts with the energy usages of the base building 

Key factors to consider therefore include 

• improvement of the thermal performance of the fabric 

to ensure the heat loss through external elements is 

minimised as far as practical 

• l the envelope, as the infiltration losses through the 

building are typically 50% of more of the total heat loss – 

a sealed building will substantially reduce reliance on 

drawn energy requirements 

• reduce the usage of energy within the space through 

careful selection of controls, implementation of 

management policies 

• efficient, cost-effective (whole life cost) production of 

heat and or power 

Fabric 


The building seeks to improve on the thermal 

performance requirements of Approved Document Part L 

of the building regulations, by improving U values by 

approximately 10% above minimum standards. 

Infiltration 

The building seeks to achieve an air permeability of 

approx 5, or 50% better than minimum Part L standards. 

Services 

The engineering solution is one of striving to minimise 

loads imposed on the building, through good thermal 

design, then dealing with the final energy consumption in 

the most efficient method, whilst recognising any 

limitation in capital expenditure. 

The building design will reduce the internal loads to allow 

the use or air-cooled heat pump technology (in 

conjunction with underfloor heating predominantly), 

which is a recognised low carbon solution and renewable 

energy source, in conjunction with automated natural

ventilation systems, to deliver fresh air in excess of Part F 

minimum standards. 

Lighting design seeks to use high frequency low energy 

fittings, for improved energy performance, but in 

conjunction with good quality automated lighting 

systems, linked with occupancy and daylight provision. 

Part L 

The servicing strategy of the building will look to 

minimise the carbon emissions of the building wherever 

possible. 

In order to achieve the optimum building design in terms 

of energy consumption and occupancy comfort the 

building has been fully thermally modelled using IES 

Apache SIM modelling software. This has allowed the 

building design to incorporate the most appropriate 

facade design in terms of Solar Gain and Daylight 

distribution. 

The accurate modelling of the building has allowed the 

resultant energy demand to be properly understood, and 

the most cost effective transmission of energy to the 

space considered. In this respect, the use of air source 

heat pump is considered to be a very efficient way of 

generating energy and is considered a renewable source 


which will help in offsetting any planning requirements 

for 10% Renewable energy generation to the site. 

To demonstrate the effectiveness of air source heat 

pump, the carbon savings anticipated from using air 

source heat pump over conventional condensing gas 

boilers is approx 44% (when using CO2 emission factors 

quoted in Building Regulations Part L2). 

A calculation has been made comparing the use of 

natural gas with boilers, and grid electricity for air source 

heat pump, for the generation of heat, as follows: 

Estimated max kWh for heating gas = 

57,450 kWh 

Estimated max kWh for electric heat pump = 

16,360 kWh 

Using Part L C02 emission factors, this equates to : 

Gas Carbon (condensing boiler) = 

11,380 Kg / annum 

Electricity carbon (air source heat pump) = 

8, 460 Kg / annum 

Carbon Savings (estimated) = 

3 tonnes / year

This would equate to a carbon saving of approx 26% 

(when using CO2 emission factors quoted in Building 

Regulations Part L2) compared to the equivalent gas 

supplied system, based on the design progress to date. A 

more detailed assessment will be undertaken as the 

design is developed 

The scheme will allow for the future integration of solar 

thermal for hot water generation into the building, as 

and when the escalation programme of future occupancy 

becomes known. At day one, the limited intake of 

students proposed would suggest that this would be 

inefficient in the initial occupied period. 

Meters / sub-meters would be provided to facilitate 

effective monitoring of utility / energy consumption as 

part of an overall building energy management strategy 

and to allow consumption to be analysed on the basis of 

actual usage. 

The meters / sub-meters would be connected to an 

energy metering, automatic monitoring and targeting 

system that would gather and store data within a 

database for manipulation, display and report. 


ACCESS 

Vehicular and Transport links 

Following detailed analysis of the suitability of the two 

existing site access points, Elmete Lane proved the most 

suitable for the following reasons. Key to the scheme 

being approved as appropriate for its Green Belt / 

Conservation area setting is that the building and its 

operational aspects are designed so as to minimise the 

impact of construction on the parkland setting and 

enhance the view of the site. The majority of the 

boundary is well screened and the main view of the 

development areas is therefore from the South side. To 

use Wetherby Road for vehicular access, the car parking 

would have to be staggered along the steeply sloping 

land, and would intrude on the open nature of the view 

up to the plateau where the main building is located. It is 

also likely that, in trying to meet DDA requirements, 

there would be detrimental impact on the area of 

protected playing field. In addition, the layout of the 

building would necessitate the kitchen and refuse service 

elements being located at the front of the building and in 

sight when viewed from Wetherby Road. As the plateau 

where the building is located is limited in size, there 

would also be difficulties in achieving suitably sized and 

safely located outdoor curriculum spaces adjacent to 

pupil classrooms which is a key element of primary 

school teaching and learning requirements. 

. 


The project provides a service area and car park to the 

East of the site accessed off Elmete Lane. This approach 

allows careful landscaping and screening to be developed 

to disguise the service and delivery areas to ensure that 

the parkland character of the setting can be maintained 

and enhanced with the impact of the development being 

therefore much reduced. Utilising part of the lower 

terrace for car parking and services, it is possible to 

achieve a DDA compliant disabled parking and visitor 

area, sufficient spaces for staff and to screen the areas 

from view. The opportunity therefore arises to enhance 

the view of the front of the school as part of the overall 

site landscaping scheme and create a stronger link with 

the surrounding parkland setting. 

The number of car parking spaces shown on the plans 

follows guidance provided in the Unitary Development 

Plan for Leeds for the estimated full time staff of 52. Also 

provided are visitors spaces and car parking spaces for 

the disabled. 

The proposal also includes the provision of cycle and 

scooter shelter, staff cycle stores and visitor cycle racks.

Pedestrian Access and School 

Travel Plan 

A plan of the likely catchment area for the primary site is 

attached for reference. In direct response to the areas 

where the majority of pupils are likely to travel from, the 

main pedestrian access for pupils and parents at the start 

and end of the school day is designed to be from 

Wetherby Road. This entrance will provide a safe and 

interesting landscaped approach to the school for 

parents and pupils to access classrooms and the outdoor 

play spaces. There are two routes are provided once 

inside the site – one utilises the sloping site to provide a 

pathway to comply with DDA requirements and also to 

ensure parents with pushchairs can negotiate the slope 

safely; the other provides a shorter more direct route. It 

is envisaged that the majority of pupils attending the 

school will come from the West and therefore the 

Wetherby Road entrance is likely to be the most 

appropriate point of access for those walking or cycling. 

An alternative pedestrian route is provided off Elmete 

Lane to allow more immediate access to the main 

entrance and office for use during the school day when 

site gates will be secured for pupil safety reasons and so 

all visitors need to report to the main office. This 

secondary pedestrian route responds to the need to 

separate pedestrian and vehicular routes and avoids 

Catchment area 


visitors on foot approaching from the North / East having 

to walk a significant distance to the Wetherby Road 

entrance. 

This development provides a Primary section which is to 

be an integral part of Roundhay School Technology & 

Language College affording an all -through education 

facility for the Roundhay area. The school has a current 

Travel Plan in place currently and this will be updated / 

expanded to incorporate sustainable transport aims and 

policies in relation to the Primary site. The plan needs to 

respond to the growth of the primary site year on year 

with surveys of the pupil population to identify methods 

of encouraging sustainable forms of transport. However, 

as a new facility as yet without an existing pupil intake, it 

is difficult at this time to specify and target options 

effectively. Hence the school will need to grow and 

develop their Travel Plan with each intake of pupils. 

However, the location of the main pedestrian access is 

located not far from local bus stops situated along 

Wetherby Road. The area has a good local bus network 

serving both the Oakwood estate and also to/from 

Roundhay Centre offering direct transport within the 

catchment area . Roundhay Centre is approximately 1 

mile away and the Oakwood estate is also nearby, this 

should encourage pupils to walk to school or utilise public 

transport. 

Inclusive Access 


The project brief promotes fully accessible school 

facilities and an inclusive school environment for all. 

Leeds have 5 bands of accessibility that they apply to 

schools, dependent on factors such as the site and 

condition of the school. These are: 

‘High Care / High Access’ , ‘High Access’, ‘Mid Access’, 

‘Poor Access / No Access’ and ‘Non Accessible. 

Roundhay School Primary site has been designated as 

‘High Access’. 

The access strategy for the school has therefore been 

developed to reduce the impact of the existing site 

constraints. Disabled car parking and pedestrian 

entrances have been strategically located in positions 

where level access is provided, directly from Elmete Lane, 

and where wheelchair users or ambulant disabled people 

will be able to easily access the building. Routes are 

available to all parts of the site at a gradient of no less 

than 1:21 

Internally, the design also provides several accessible 

toilets, ambulant disabled cubicles and a care/hygiene 

suite. BS8300 has been used to develop the design from 

inception.

Roundhay School - Primary - Leeds City Council

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