Plans submitted to open SEN primary school in Yate 

Plans have been submitted by education provider Witherslack Group to turn an empty office block - known as Apex House - located in Westerleigh Business Park into a school. 

A change of use planning application - which has been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council - states the school would support 50 children aged five to 12.

If plans are approved, the school would create up to 42 new full time jobs.

According to the application, the proposed SEN school would meet the needs of a diverse group of pupils with a range of complex learning needs.

This includes children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties and co-existing ADHD, speech, language and communication difficulties and attachment disorders.

It comes as Witherslack Group opened Castlefell School in Rudgeway near Thornbury in March last year - which has had ‘unprecedented’ demand.

The proposed site includes plans for a multi-use games area (MUGA), fencing and six new cycle spaces would be created. 

The school would support 50 pupils aged five to 12  (Image: Google Maps)

There would be 49 parking spaces including eight EV charging spaces and three disabled spaces. 

Floor plans show space for six classrooms, a dining hall, a kitchen, a therapy room, six offices, two reception rooms plus student toilets and staff toilets. 

Under the plans, pupils would attend the school between 8.30am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday following traditional term times.

The proposed building is currently vacant after the former tenant left the site due to an increase in home working, the application states. 

A proposed site map of the school located off Turner Drive in Westerleigh Business Park (Image: Witherslack Group / SGC)

A planning document reads: “Apex House has been identified by Witherslack as a good site for the proposed development as a new SEN school to support the existing operation in Rudgeway – Castlefell School. 

“Having opened in April 2024, Castlefell School has seen unprecedented demand. 

“In response to this demand, Witherslack now seeks a new separate site to provide an expanded operation.

“This will include the provision of primary school operations at Apex House (the application site) and secondary school operations remaining solely at Castlefell School.”

It continues: “There is currently an undersupply of SEN school places which is resulting in South Gloucestershire Council struggling to provide places to meet local demand. 

“This can result in pupils travelling greater distances to access SEN places outside South Gloucestershire. 

“The tenant ceased their occupation following an increase in home working which resulted in on average only a quarter of employees (approximately 10 staff) coming into the office each day. 

“Like many occupiers this has led to a reduction in the need for employment floorspace and consequently increase the size of company that landlords need to attract to fully let properties such as Apex House. 

“To date marketing efforts have not attracted any new prospective tenants for the building.

“The proposed development would provide significant economic benefits to Yate. 

“Due to Witherslack’s requirement for high staff-to-pupil ratios, the proposed school will provide approximately 40 FTE jobs on the site.

“The change of use for this well-placed building provides comparable employment and an improved range of employment opportunities.”

You can view the application quoting P25/01298/F or see here - tinyurl.com/5n6mwjaj