PLANS to expand and rebuild an Oxford special school have received just one objection.
Oxfordshire County Council wants to increase places at Northfield School in Blackbird Leys to 108, and demolish and rebuild the building in a £9.52m project.
The proposal, which is dependent on an academy trust agreeing to run the school after it was rated 'inadequate', was the subject of a four-week public consultation in May.
A council document has now revealed that just five people responded, and all but one were in favour.
The council had previously considered closing the school, but nearly 3,500 people signed a petition pushing to keep it open.
A new report prepared by the council's director of children's services Lucy Butler, ahead of a meeting next Wednesday, recommends that the cabinet member for education should approve the plan.
It states: "The respondent who objected expressed concerns over expanding the current site, but supported expansion on split sites.
"An appraisal was carried out by the OCC property team, and concluded that the preferred option was to rebuild on the existing site, as this removed the possibility of local resistance, planning constraints and potential time delays that would otherwise result if the school were to be relocated onto a new site."
ALSO READ: £9.5m plan revealed for NorthfieldThe report said the aim is to open the new school building in Knights Road in '2021/22'.
The current building has been plagued with issues, including asbestos.
Ms Butler's report adds: "Northfield School’s existing accommodation has significant suitability and condition issues which limit the operation of the school, and has required significant investment over the last year to maintain.
"Rebuilding and expanding the school would be a key component of Oxfordshire’s SEND Sufficiency Strategy."
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