Plans to convert home into special school shelved

The family home took 25 years to build and includes a swimming pool and windmill

Plans to convert a £1m home into a special needs school have been withdrawn after concerns over parking and traffic.

The four-bed Round House, in Reservoir Passage near Wednesbury town centre, was sold to Spring Hill High School last year.

It planned to convert the house, which includes a tennis court, swimming pool and its own windmill, into a school for children with social, emotional and mental health issues and learning difficulties.

But Sandwell Council, which had expressed concern over access and parking, said the plans had been withdrawn.

The school submitted the application for a facility serving up to 30 children on 23 December last year.

The local authority's highways department had said it was concerned over a lack of information in the proposals.

Officers noted a big difference between a family home and a school serving 30 pupils and 20 staff; with the "extremely narrow" Reservoir Passage also unsuitable for two-way traffic.

The council was also unclear over whether pupils would arrive by foot, car, minibus or taxi, which would cause different levels of traffic.

The hilltop home took more than 25 years to build and was sold to the school by owner Matthew Humphries following the death of his parents.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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