Mansfield special needs school due to be given green light

The facility is likely to be approved for derelict land on Ravensdale Road next week.

The former Ravensdale School, that was previously on the site, was demolished after it closed in 2001 and the site has remained derelict and unused for several years.

The purpose-built facility would take up to 160 children between seven and 19 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

Nottinghamshire Council has brought the plans forward to meet the demand for special needs school places across the county.

The planning documents say it will provide a “more tailored and inclusive educational system that caters to the diverse learning needs of all students”.

Artists’ impressions which the council has submitted to its own planning department show what the facility would look like.

The site was also previously an annex of Sherwood Hall secondary school and has been derelict since 2012.

Coun Andre Camilleri (Con), who represents Mansfield South at County Hall, said: “I have been pushing for this in Mansfield for a long time.

"I first showed the site to the council two years ago and it has gone from there.

“Mansfield badly needs a facility like this as we have very high levels of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) pupils.

“It will take the pressure off other schools which aren’t able to support children with special needs properly.

“It’s a fantastic achievement to finally get something like this built.”

Around 40 per cent of all Nottinghamshire children with SEND live in Mansfield and Ashfield, although the school will welcome pupils from across the county.

The application will go before the council’s planning committee on Tuesday, March 12, where it is recommended for approval.

The design would enable children to have easy access to the outdoors and nature.

Classrooms would have an ‘escape space’ and sensory zones to make it more accessible for children.

Ollerton was previously earmarked as a potential SEND school location, but the chosen site was found to be contaminated.