A NEW school for severely disabled children could be established in empty buildings in Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood.

A group of parents who have children with disabilities have approached Essex County Council with proposals for a new school and may have found a location for it, in redundant buildings on the old Sawyers Hall College site in Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood.

Brentwood councillor Barry Aspinell, who is in support of the proposal, said: “The parents approached the county council for various building around Brentwood and they were encouraged to look at Sawyers Hall Lane and feel this would satisfy them completely.

“There will be no new buildings proposed for that site as far as I’m aware, the site has lots of empty buildings.

“The Becket Keys school that moved in is smaller than the previous occupants so there are redundant buildings and a new school has been proposed by parents of severely disabled children.”

He added: “It has had some negative reaction but I would like to put concerns to rest as to the issue of additional traffic.

“The children will be bussed in to the site in eight minibuses so this won’t happen.

“They are also going to be travelling to the school at different times to the existing school.

“I am pleased we can accommodate a school for these users and that the issue of traffic can be somewhat lessened.

“It has always been a massive problem having four schools in that road and we are now looking to make that easier and again the Local Development Plan gives us the ability to perhaps allocate more car parking in the area for parents dropping off or picking up their children at the existing school.”

Essex County Councillor Ray Gooding, Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning added: “A proposal for a Free School on the former Sawyers Hall College site has received Department for Education support and we are talking to them regarding the details of a property lease. “The project will be run by the DfE, which will fund it, and the Free School.

“Access issues and any other Planning matters will be for the Free School and DfE to consider and propose to Essex Highways and Brentwood Borough Council as the Local Planning Authority.”

In October, the Weekly News revealed that The Grove House School, a school for children with speech, language and communication difficulties, may come to Brentwood or Chelmsford but it is unconfirmed if this is the school on the Sawyers Hall Lane site.