Green light to convert former Mansfield Woodhouse funeral home into special 'education establishment'

First Class Tailored Solutions had applied to Mansfield Council for permission to change the use of a former funeral home into the establishment.

The property is described as a large, detached bungalow-type building, on Swan Lane, Mansfield Woodhouse, and was previously owned by Co-op Funeral Care.

First Class is an alternative educational provider, offering short-medium term, part-time placements for those children and young people who fall outside of mainstream education, for example, due to anxiety or behavioural issues, planning documents state.

A heritage statement submitted as part of the application says that the change of use will not have a negative impact on the nearby Mansfield Woodhouse Conservation area.

It states: “All personnel will remain on the site during the hours of operation.

"Additionally, there will be a maximum of four cars parked at the site during the day, and a small window of time, at the start and end of the day, when some learners will be dropped off and collected by taxis in a staggered pattern.

“At the moment the site is neglected in terms of weeds, the grounds look generally unkempt.”

The operators said they will maintain the site, ensuring it is tidy and presentable.

A planning statement says: “The learners will generally not be allowed off site on their own during the working day. If they do go off site it will be in pairs accompanied by a member of staff.

"There is ample outdoor space to the rear of the building to accommodate the learners and allow them access to the outdoors.

“The space would enable us to operate three classrooms such that each class would have a maximum of four students, two staff. We do not wish to make any changes to the layout, structure or design of the building, the application is for change of usage only.

Documents state that learners will be on site between 9am and 3pm daily over 39 weeks of the year.

The application was approved by Mansfield District Council planners with conditions, including that the building is only occupied between 8am – 5pm weekdays.

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