Autism school to take over vacant Stockport office
Solutions House, located next to the town’s famous Pyramid, is to be converted into an education facility under plans lodged with the local council.
Outcomes First Group has submitted an application to convert the 12,000 sq ft Stockport office block into a school for people aged four to 19 who have autism spectrum disorders.
The school would have capacity for 50 students and would employ around 40 staff.
A planning statement prepared by consultancy Alder King states that the facility would “help meet both the existing and future needs for specialist education in Stockport and surrounding areas”.
In addition, the school would “reduce both the current number of children who need to travel ’out of area’ to find an appropriate education environment and overcrowding in existing settings.”
The building was last occupied by Sungard Availability Services Data Centre and has been vacant for 18 months.
There has been “little interest” generated from efforts to sell and lease the property, according to the planning statement.
This is because the location is “peripheral for offices”, the building is “a little dated”, and is “relatively large” for current occupiers’ requirements, it adds.
To learn more about the scheme, search for application reference number DC/089904 on Stockport Council’s planning portal.
The school is the latest education provider to make a move for vacant office space in Greater Manchester in recent months.
Other examples include UA92 replacing AO at Baskerville House, the University Campus of Football Business and Global Institute of Sport taking a floor at Serendipity Labs’ Exchange Quay site, and Arden University eyeing 41,000 sq ft at Spinningfields in Manchester.
‘AS Disorder’ is such an outdated term. AS Condition is a much more accepted term, this century.
By Bob
What a brilliant idea
By Sarah
How on earth is that a suitable location for children with autism to be schooled? Noise, traffic, pollution, no safe outdoor space will all exacerbate challenges in how children learn, mental health, calmness and behaviour generally. It is not ‘an appropriate education environment’ by a long long way.
By Mr T
I think disorder is a term used in the past ,the correct term is now neurodiversity or as we call it in our house a super power. Not the best location for such a school although I understand the repurposing.
By Jor- El