A new building to create extra capacity at a special needs school in Warwick has been supported by councillors despite concerns over cutting corners on fire safety.

Warwickshire County Council plans to put up a new two-storey building on the site of Evergreen School, Brittain Lane, Warwick, to cater for an extra 60 post-16 pupils to meet growing demand. 

The school currently has around 280 pupils aged between four and 19 with the new block designed to help older pupils. It is proposed to include new classrooms, therapy rooms, staff rooms, a gym and flexible space alongside associated facilities such as toilets, changing rooms and storerooms.

The main hurdle presented to the county's regulatory committee by the county's planning officers – the employed professionals – was an objection from Sport England over the loss of playing fields on the site.

However, the main query came from the portfolio holder for fire and rescue and community safety Cllr Dale Bridgewater. 

He referred to Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service's (WFRS) consideration of a risk assessment in relation to the potential installation of a sprinkler system. 

The report read: "Whilst WFRS would always recommend the installation of sprinklers, it appreciates that the additional costs and extended timescales would make their installation prohibitive."

Cllr Bridgewater asked: "Why are we putting the savings of cost over the safety of our children?"

The matter bounced around various officers who moved to reassure him that it had been considered but not deemed necessary. 

"That's not how I read it," he replied.

"In my eyes they want a sprinkler system in there but the cost and timescale would not make it feasible. That's a cost issue, not a safety issue.

"We are going to have disabled kids and kids who will be startled by a fire alarm, it may take them slightly longer to get out of the building. Because of these issues the sprinkler system needs to be in there."

Fellow committee member Cllr Adrian Warwick made reference to the rest of the service's submission.

"While I take on board the comments made, the response says no objection," he said.

"Yes, they (sprinklers) would be nice, they are also saying that additional effort has been made to fit the additional water tank to augment supply to help with firefighting measures."

Caroline Gutteridge, a senior solicitor at the council, said the submission indicated that the fire & rescue service was happy enough with the water supply but that further clarification could be sought as the planning decision would have to be referred to the secretary of state anyway. 

"It will be compliant with building regulations because it has to be. The fire service is not requiring it as an additional (condition), that's what the response is," she said, which Cllr Bridgewater accepted before joining the unanimous support of councillors for the project.

Despite that backing, it will still go to secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Steve Reed OBE MP (Lab) because of the Sport England objection. 

Normally, any loss of sports pitches or open spaces that could be sports pitches must be mitigated or replaced but Warwickshire County Council argues that the benefits outweigh the harms, a position supported by the head of Evergreen School whose submission highlighted that pupils "struggle enormously to access larger open areas".

If there is no secretary of state intervention, the decision of councillors can be implemented.