Plans submitted for Send school at Tai Chi centre

The Tai Chi centre would be turned into a school for 40 pupils if plans are approved

A Tai Chi centre could be turned into a small school for students with special educational needs (Send) under new plans.

Plans for the new school at Taoist Tai Chi European Centre, on Bounstead Road, Colchester, include a new playground, new car park layout and new fencing.

If the plans are agreed by Colchester City Council, the school will have a capacity of 40 pupils, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The proposed school would be run by Keys, an organisation that provides "specialist education for children who have complex needs, including social emotional and mental health requirements".

It is planned the school for children aged 11 to 16 will reach its full capacity over "two three-year periods".

The plans include 42 parking spaces, including two disabled spaces, and two electric vehicle charging spaces.

The application states plans state the school will not have any impact on surrounding occupiers or any adverse impacts on highway safety.

It says the school will "provide significant community benefits", as well as bringing a vacant building back into productive use and providing direct and indirect employment opportunities.

It also states: "The school will help meet both the existing and future needs for specialist education in Colchester and surrounding areas."