Expansion of school for vulnerable pupils approved

A property on The Kings Road will be changed from a residential children’s home to a site used for education

A school supporting vulnerable young people will get an additional site, following a decision by city development planners.

Sunderland City Council approved an application for a property on The Kings Road in the Southwick area.

Earlier this year, applicant Hopespring applied to change a building from a residential children’s home to an educational use.

This included the building serving as the “additional site of an existing school in Sunderland – Hopespring Sunderland, which is operated by Hopespring charity”.

It was noted that there would be a “maximum of six young people” attending the additional school site, with opening hours of 09:30 to 14:30, Monday to Friday.

Proposal

After considering the planning application, the Labour-run council's planning department approved it on 4 April.

Officers concluded that the proposal would “not pose any significant detrimental risk in respect of transport and highways impacts, land contamination or noise”.

Hopespring works throughout Tyne and Wear and, according to its website, “seeks to serve the educational, physical and mental health needs of the young people in our region”.

The organisation offers “therapeutic learning provisions” for young people, including those who “have been permanently excluded from at least one school or have refused to attend education for extended periods of time”.