'Outdated' temporary classrooms to be demolished as new SEND services to be built at West Yorkshire school
Plans have been approved to install new classrooms for children with severe autism at a school in Wakefield.
Wakefield Council has given the go-ahead for the proposals at Oakfield Park School, in Ackworth.
The scheme also includes demolishing two “outdated” temporary classrooms at the Barnsley Road site and replacing them with purpose-built facilities.
The council-maintained school caters for 177 young people in the secondary and post-16 phases with severe, complex, or profound multiple learning difficulties.
A planning statement said: “The proposed design will replace outdated, unfit-for-purpose structures functioning as classrooms with modern, purpose-built facilities that maintain the site’s existing operational functions while significantly improving quality and efficiency.
“The new buildings have been carefully designed to meet current educational and training needs while respecting the site’s constraints.”
The document said the new buildings would be used by 24 youngsters, aged 11 and 12.
The plans include providing an outdoor play area to accompany each classroom, with a covered area for use all year around.
The document added: “The new facilities will provide enhanced, purpose-designed spaces that better support the new SEND classrooms objectives while incorporating modern accessibility standards and sustainable design principles.”
The site lies with a greenbelt area but a council planning officer’s report said the scheme was not considered to be “inappropriate development.”
Approving the plans, the officer added: “It is not considered that the development proposed would result in harm to access and highway safety, flood risk, drainage, residential or visual amenity.”
The school is “renowned for delivering outstanding education”, according to its website.
It states: “At Oakfield Park School, We take immense pride in creating a secure, stimulating, and joyful environment for our students.
“Surrounded by a team of dedicated, knowledgeable, and passionate staff, our students flourish and thrive through engaging with a rich variety of opportunities.
“Central to our ethos is the holistic development of our students, focusing on enhancing communication skills, fostering social interaction, nurturing life skills, and facilitating community access.
”The holistic development of our students, focusing on enhancing communication skills, fostering social interaction, nurturing life skills, and facilitating community access.”