Disused Bilston school to be used to process taxi licences
A disused school in Bilston which has sat empty for more than two years is set to become a base for carrying out checks on taxi vehicles.
Wolverhampton Council has put forward plans to convert the old Loxdale Primary School building in Chapel Street, Bilston for licensing purposes.
As well as carrying out checks and inspections on vehicles, the temporary facility – which is earmarked to be open from March this year until September 2024 – will also process licence applications.
Increasing pupil numbers meant Loxdale outgrew the site, and a purpose-built facility was constructed on land between Dudley Street and Bankfield Road in Bilston Urban Village.
When Ofsted inspected in 2014 the school had 251 children on its roll and a modular building was erected on site to create extra space.
By 2019 pupil numbers had grown to 393. The new school building has a capacity of 420.
In the application, the council said: “The school was built to cater for the local housing estate and surrounding area of Bilston.
“However due to it’s increased capacity, a new school has been built and this site is no longer used.
“The modular building will be used as a temporary base for the staff to issue tax licensing. Existing access routes into the site will be through the main gates which will be widened to accommodate vehicles in and out at the same time.
“The proposed change of use of land and buildings to allow for licensed vehicle inspection and vehicle licence processing facility with staff and customer car parking, for a temporary period.
“The proposal includes the erection of a canopy to provide cover over part of the proposed external inspection areas and amendments to access gates to improve access into and out of the site from Chapel Street.”
