Former Mansfield Woodhouse funeral home set to be converted into ‘education establishment’

First Class Tailored Solutions has 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.

A First Class spokeswoman said: “The tuition is mainly academic subjects to enable the learners to access a range of formal qualifications. One of the main aims is to equip learners to transition either back into school, into a more longer term educational provision or on to a post-16 pathway.

“The aim of First Class is to make a real difference to the lives of the young people, to help them to become confident, independent citizens of the future.”

A heritage statement, issued as part of the application process, states the property is adjacent to the conservation area of Mansfield Woodhouse.

However, the proposed change of use will not have any negative impact on the character of the conservation area, as no structural development is planned.

The application says: “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/collected by taxis in a staggered pattern.

“At the moment the site is neglected in terms of weeds, the grounds look generally unkempt. We will maintain the site, ensuring it is tidy and presentable, thereby enhancing the site compared to its current condition.”

The council will make a decision at a future date.

In a previous article, we incorrectly referred to the change of use as to a school. We apologise for the error and are happy to clarify the matter.

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