Destruction of Walsall woodland for school unexplained while another stands empty
The Department for Education has refused to answer questions about its plan to destroy a Walsall woodland in order to build a new school, as a ‘perfectly viable’ school building stands empty nearby. The woodland at Reedswood Park in Walsall was selected by the Department of Education as a potential site for a new Special Educational Needs free school.
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The woodland was created to honour Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. In 2024, feasibility studies were carried out to determine the suitability of the site.
Meanwhile, three miles from the proposed build stands an empty school on Vernon Way. The MP for Walsall and Bloxwich called on the Government to abandon its plan of destroying woodland and instead repurpose the existing vacant school in a bid to save taxpayers’ money.
MP Valerie Vaz said the empty school is a ‘perfectly viable building’ for the new SEN facility and that it was ‘inappropriate’ to build a school at the Reedswood Park woodland. She also said that Joseph Leckie Academy in Walsall has offered to expand its provision of school places to address the shortage in the area.
But the Department for Education has failed to answer questions about the cost allocated to building the new school at Reedswood Park. It has also refused to answer whether the former Sneyd Community School building on Vernon Way had been considered at all.
Instead, a spokesperson said the Reedswood site was ‘deemed to be the only available and suitable location for the school’. Last year, the park was one of the winners of the Green Flag Award, and in 2021, it was registered as an Asset of Community Value.
Walsall Council submitted a planning application in April 2024 to demolish the former Sneyd Community School to make way for 73 homes. At the time of the application, the building was being used by the Sneyd Community Association, offering adult education classes, sports activities, a community library and, until its closure three years ago, a community swimming pool.
A petition to save the school from being demolished and for it to be brought back into use has been signed by more than 1,400 people. It was launched by local campaigner Phil Norwood who attended the school when it was open.
The original target date for a decision on the planning application was in July 2024, but an extension was agreed which passed last week.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are working closely with Walsall Council to identify a site for the new school to ensure there are sufficient places for children that need them.
“Following a number of searches, the Reedswood site was deemed to be the only available and suitable location for the school. We are working through the initial feasibility report and the next steps. As with all projects of this type, we review the need and value for money for the project on an ongoing basis.”
