A Hove charity which operates a nursery for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has asked the council for permission to make internal alterations to its new building.
The Jeanne Saunders Centre hopes to reconfigure The Connaught Annexe in Hove, adding new security and anti-climb measures to ready the building for a new cohort of SEN pupils, after it moved from Penny Gobby House in Palmeira Avenue, Hove.
The proposals say that the “completely reversible” additions will protect the new SEN pupils from climbing on top of some of the historical features of the building such as window sills, fireplaces and staircase bannisters.
If approved, the works at the annexe would begin in September in two phases, to get pupils learning at the site quicker.
In April, the council’s school lead, Councillor Lucy Helliwell, said: “We welcome the proposals to relocate the Jeanne Saunders Centre to much more suitable new facilities at the Connaught Annexe.
“The Jeanne Saunders Centre’s current premises is a former residential four-storey building with access issues.
“Moving the service to the Connaught Annexe with a larger ground floor space will make it more accessible for children with mobility issues.
“This means this site is much better suited to meet the needs of the children the Jeanne Saunders Centre supports.”
The works from September 2024 will divide the site in half for 12 pupils initially.
Among the internal alterations, removable angled infills made of MDF will be added on top of the window sills to prevent climbing.
Internal doors to classrooms, offices and hallways will have Paxton Access security control installed and external access doors will have access control installed.
The building’s fireplaces and corridor balustrades would be boxed-in with MDF which would be angled for an anti-climbing measure, but decorated to match the existing wall colour.
In addition, two staircases will have their height increased by solid panels and framing to reduce the risk of climbing and injury on the bannisters.
Glass protection panels will be applied to all first floor windows and radiators will get new covers to match the ground floor.
Lastly, toilets and basins will be changed from primary to secondary, a new shower and new vinyl floors would be installed.
The grade II listed building, valued at £800,000 last month, was built in 1884 and has received various alterations since, including a passenger lift and external wheelchair access ramps at the rear of the building.
Two adult social care services, the Connaught Day Centre and Albany View Day Centre, run from an adjoining building and share an access road with the annexe.
The site on Connaught Road was previously occupied by West Hove Infant School, which is now based in Holland Road, until 2022.
More recently, the annexe was occupied by an offshoot of Hill Park School known as The Hive while work was completed at its permanent base in Lynchet Close, Hollingdean.
