Funding of £16.4m approved for Send school move

Funding of £16.4m has been approved for the relocation and expansion of a school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

The new Broadmeadow Special School in Wolverhampton will be built at the former council offices at Priory Green in Pendeford, replacing the school's existing West Park site.

The development will see its capacity increase from 75 to 120 places, while the maximum age for pupils will be raised from 11 to 19 years old.

Councillor Jacqui Coogan, of City of Wolverhampton Council, said it would help to meet the growing demand for Send school places in the area.

"The new purpose-built facilities will provide a modern learning environment designed around the needs of pupils, while the expansion of places and the move to all-age provision will help support children and young people throughout their educational journey," she added.

The funding for the project was approved during a meeting of the authority's cabinet on Wednesday.

The council said a planning application submitted by the Central Learning Partnership Trust, which runs the school, would be determined in the coming weeks before a final decision is made by the Department for Education.

According to the plans, the staff and children had "made the best out of the facilities available" at the school's current site.

But it made reference to a number of issues, including unsuitable toilets and a kitchen with outdated equipment.

A council report said if the school was not moved it would cost at least £5m a year to place the additional Send pupils at other locations, including outside the city.

Georgetta Holloway, the Central Learning Partnership Trust's chief executive, said she was "delighted" to see the project "finally coming to fruition".

"We now look forward with great anticipation to the delivery of this exciting new school and to seeing pupils thrive in a modern, purpose-built environment designed to meet their needs," she added.

"It is an investment in their future and for generations to come, one they richly deserve."

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.