Wycombe Abbey School has been given the go-ahead to demolish its custodian’s lodge and build a new lodge, post room and access.

The school was granted permission by Buckinghamshire Council, which means work to remove three existing temporary buildings, and build a new main entrance building and post room, can go ahead.

In planning documents submitted with the application by Walters & Cohen Architects on behalf of the independent school, it said the new building would improve the working environment for the custodians and improve the site’s safety.

They said the current entrance to the school is cluttered and poorly maintained, saying it does not “positively” enhance the school’s entrance experience.

It said: “In addition to the Custodians’ Lodge, a new post room will provide a secure space for delivery and storage of parcels, as well as a space for large estates items to be stored before being taken by the estates team to their facilities within Pine Trees.

“This will improve sitewide safeguarding because delivery vehicles will no longer have unchaperoned access across the site.

“Operationally the entrance is poorly laid out, suffers from a narrow gateway being used as both an entrance and exit, presents the Custodians’ Lodge on the wrong side of road to properly engage with drivers and does not provide enough of an approach way – regularly causing traffic to back up and obstruct the A40.

“The poor quality of the buildings do not reflect well on the setting of the Abbey and visually obstruct views across the parkland setting.

“The new landscape design will address these issues while providing a superior visual connection to the Abbey upon arrival, enhancing vehicle tracking and pedestrian security, and repositioning parking away from views of the Abbey and landscape while maintaining 12 visitor parking spaces.”

It continued, saying that within the school’s masterplan for the future, it will include plans to demolish its dining block at the front of the Abbey to reinstate the historic forecourt and façade of the Abbey.

Adding: “The proposed new development will re-provide the Custodians’ Lodge and post room, currently located partially within temporary structures at the main entrance to the site.

“As well as detracting from the setting of the Abbey and registered park and garden, the lodge has poor staff welfare facilities, and the post room is inadequately sized for the volume of deliveries to the site. The new lodge structure will also replace the main reception and visitor waiting area, which is currently within the Abbey itself.”

The permission also includes the installation of an air source heat pump, two substations, a kitchen bin store and storage shelter, as well as a reconfiguration of car parking and the creation of a new access from the A404.