Decision details

To seek agreement to nominate Bucklers Park site as the proposed site for the new Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) School.

RESOLVED that

i.       the Executive agree Bucklers Park as the site for the new special school.

ii.     the Executive delegate authority to the Executive Director – People, and the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning, to agree any minor amendments that may be further required.

i.       The Council needs to provide new places for future SEND provision since it currently pays for a high number of pupils to be educated out of the borough which is expensive and is projected to increase in terms of demand and cost. Part of the emerging SEND strategy is to provide more places within the borough which includes the provision of new schools. The opportunity to utilise the land at the Bucklers Park site at a cost of a nominal £1 purchase price from the developers and for the DfE to fund the design and build of a new school, is an opportunity for the Council which it is recommended should be pursued.

ii.     Therefore, it is considered that the Bucklers Park land is an excellent opportunity to deliver a new SEND school and should be progressed.

i.       That the Council purchases land on alternative sites such as the former Warfield School site (which is smaller in area and will incur the cost of a purchase price) or other sites likely to be at full residential market value which will be expensive, uncertain and with an unknown time scale likely to be outside of the terms and conditions for a successful DfE funding bid.

ii.     The potential alternative sites considered:

·       Warfield School Site (All Saints Rise) which is much smaller in area (1.24

hectares verses 2.35 hectares at Bucklers Park); has a number of buildings which would need to be demolished; and involves a negotiated purchase price from the owner. The time scale remains uncertain.

·       Amen Corner South site – which may be needed for a primary school and will not be available for a number of years which does not meet the timescale for the DfE to fund the school due to the site developer needing to use it as a compound for materials during construction. If eventually available for SEND purposes it may also require to be purchased at full market value as the site will also have a residential value which means it would be very expensive compared to the nominal £1 purchase price of the Bucklers Park site. Negotiations would be required with the developer/landowner.

·       Warfield east site – which is secured for a primary school but will not be available for a number of years and depends on an associated planning permission being implemented, which again does not meet the timescales for the funding bid. If eventually available for SEND purposes, half of the site for a 1-form of entry primary school potentially has to be purchased at full market value as the permission relates to a primary school not a SEND school. Further, the other half of the site (to make a 2 FE school) will be required to be purchased at full market value because the planning permission permits housing on this part should the second form of entry part of the primary school not be required. This means the purchase of the site would be very expensive compared to the nominal £1 purchase price of the Bucklers Park site. Negotiations would be required with the developer/landowner.

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