Petition launched to save former Bloxwich school being turned into housing

Earlier this year, Walsall Council put forward proposals to demolish the buildings at Vernon Way, Bloxwich, to make way for 73 homes.

Local campaigner Phil Norwood – a former student of the school – launched the online petition to save the buildings from being demolished. The 39-year-old believes the buildings should be repurposed for the community rather than turned into housing.

The 14.29 hectare-site is located on green belt land, just north of Rough Wood Country Park and Sneyd Nature Reserve. A lake on site has been used as a centre for outdoor watersports activities.

Constructed in 1978, the building was home to Sneyd Comprehensive School until its closure in 2011. Afterwards, it became the Black Country University Technical College, which closed in 2015. Since then, Sneyd Community Association has used the building to provide adult’s education classes, sports activities, a community library and, until its closure two years ago, a community swimming pool.

Trustees of the charity agreed to wind down its services at the site by March 2025.

Phil, from Leamore, said: “Plans have been put forward for a perfectly well-built school and community centre, that holds all matters of education and sports, both indoors and out, to be demolished and replaced by up to 73 houses.

“The building, school and grounds as a whole still have potential for the people and children of the surrounding towns. They’re going to knock it all down. It’s ludicrous what they’re doing. That’s not to mention the outdoor water activities that students and the community did on the lake that no other school in the area could offer.

“There are a lot of young children in this area, and schools are filling up too fast. Children have to travel to outer towns for school. The building here is already standing and with a little investment it could open its doors once again.”

Walsall Council said the current site needs ‘considerably more than a lick of paint’ to bring it back into use. Councillor Garry Perry, leader of the council, said: “Educational provision and housing have been identified as priorities for our residents and we are actively investigating these options.

“It is important to be clear that seeking outline planning permission is a commonly used process that helps to determine whether a proposed development is acceptable in principle without incurring significant costs. If outline planning permission is granted, it’s subject to conditions that will require approval of ‘reserved matters’ in the future. Reserved matters can include, for example, the scale and layout of the proposed development.

“Considerable efforts continue to be made with the Community Association to support remaining users into other local provision at more suitable and accessible locations.

“There is empathy of course for those who enjoyed their school days at Sneyd and more latterly other activities at the site, but the existing buildings require considerably more than a lick of paint and our focus is on investing wisely in a Walsall fit for the future.”