Sports hall plan for special school in Walsall
A national sporting body has backed a Walsall special school’s bid to build new facilities to enhance lessons for students.
Castle Business Enterprise College, in Odell Road, just outside Bloxwich town centre, has submitted plans to build a new sports hall as an extension to its existing building.
Bosses at the school said the current facilities are not fit for purpose for a number of sports to be taught at the school.
And the plans have received a boost in terms of support from Sport England, which described Castle’s existing gym as “inadequate”.
If the proposal is approved, the new block will have a number of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, changing rooms and storage space within.
In the application, the school said: “The existing sports hall is inadequate for many sports. The application has the support of Sports England.
“No existing trees/hedgerows will be disturbed or removed and this proposal will not increase pupil/staff numbers or effect existing school parking.”
Stuart Morgans, planning manager at Sport England, said: “I have seen the school’s facilities and appreciate that a dedicated purpose designed sports hall will be a marked improvement from the use of the existing gym which is not really fit for purpose.
“Over time, the school’s playing field has been incrementally reduced in usable area due to a series of minor developments including play equipment, fencing, minor extensions etc.
“More recently I have negotiated with the school to reinstate some playing field to the south of the site, and to undertake some improvements to the existing grass football pitch to the west of the multi-use games area (MUGA).
“The area of playing field to the east of the MUGA is constrained by a number of factors, including changing levels, trees and the dimensions of the usable space.
“I’m therefore satisfied that the erection of the proposed sports hall will not materially reduce the playing capacity of the playing field.”
