A school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is hoping to admit more pupils and expand its teaching space.
Downs View Special School in Warren Road, Woodingdean has applied to demolish the unused caretaker’s building, and build a portakabin classroom complete with a decking area.
If accepted the school would be able to take an extra seven pupils – taking the total to 16 – and employ five additional staff members.
The new building would create two new classrooms, each with kitchen facilities and an associated break out room for each classroom, as well as a shared sensory room.
The planning statement said: “The local authority has recognised the need to increase educational provision for pupils with severe learning difficulties, autism and complex needs within the city.
“This will increase classroom capacity for Key Stage 1 pupils and enable Downs View to meet SEND need more effectively.
“The additional enhanced resource at Downs View Secondary School will provide suitable educational provision for young people with severe learning difficulties, autism and complex needs.
“Consideration was given to converting the existing caretaker’s house to a nursery, however, given the complex nature of the development, and the medical needs of the pupils, this was not considered viable, and a purpose-built facility would cater for all the requirements.”
Downs View School says the caretaker’s cottages and storage buildings are in a poor state of repair and are no longer needed.
An accessible outside deck area for teaching and accessible toilets within the building are also included in the plans.
Four several car parking spaces would be relocated within the site to make room for the grey and green classroom buildings.
The application says the modular construction will be minimally disruptive to the school and neighbours.
Downs View School declined to comment.
You can read the full application on the council’s planning portal under the reference BH2023/02710.
