by Neil Elkes
A ROW of crumbling historic Georgian townhouses are to be revived and given an unlikely new lease of life – as a primary school.
The conversion of six large houses in Soho Road, Handsworth, will see a massive extension on the back, including a raised first-floor playground.
It will become a Sikh faith school, funded under the Coalition Government’s Free Schools policy.
The conversion and extension was given the unanimous support of the council’s planning committee.
It means that the elegant fronts of the houses, which are protected under a Grade II heritage listing, will be cleaned up and restored to their former glory.
Committee chairman Peter Douglas Osborn (Con, Weoley) said: “We are very supportive of this. The conversion is a wonderful way of keeping these particularly beautiful houses.
“They were very sadly at risk and almost lost to the city through lack use.”
The school will take up to 470 pupils, half from the local Sikh community and half allocated by the city’s education department.
One of the homes is already in use as a children’s day nursery, restored and developed by local volunteers.
The proposals, developed by the Guru Nanak Nishkam Education Trust, include 15 classrooms, a sports hall, dinning hall, and various smaller learning areas.
The majority of the new development will be at the back where a three-storey glazed extension will be built. A further single storey extension includes a roof-top playground.
A statement from the Trust said: “The proposal aims to benefit the whole community by providing another place of study within the area.
“It seeks to tackle the shortage of school places available in the area.
“The proposal will benefit the whole community and bring different sections of the community together for a brighter future and encourage regeneration the area.” With construction and restoration work already underway the school is expected to start welcoming pupils this September.
Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/...ned-into-school-97319-28743050/#ixzz1NDcjvBQz
A ROW of crumbling historic Georgian townhouses are to be revived and given an unlikely new lease of life – as a primary school.
The conversion of six large houses in Soho Road, Handsworth, will see a massive extension on the back, including a raised first-floor playground.
It will become a Sikh faith school, funded under the Coalition Government’s Free Schools policy.
The conversion and extension was given the unanimous support of the council’s planning committee.
It means that the elegant fronts of the houses, which are protected under a Grade II heritage listing, will be cleaned up and restored to their former glory.
Committee chairman Peter Douglas Osborn (Con, Weoley) said: “We are very supportive of this. The conversion is a wonderful way of keeping these particularly beautiful houses.
“They were very sadly at risk and almost lost to the city through lack use.”
The school will take up to 470 pupils, half from the local Sikh community and half allocated by the city’s education department.
One of the homes is already in use as a children’s day nursery, restored and developed by local volunteers.
The proposals, developed by the Guru Nanak Nishkam Education Trust, include 15 classrooms, a sports hall, dinning hall, and various smaller learning areas.
The majority of the new development will be at the back where a three-storey glazed extension will be built. A further single storey extension includes a roof-top playground.
A statement from the Trust said: “The proposal aims to benefit the whole community by providing another place of study within the area.
“It seeks to tackle the shortage of school places available in the area.
“The proposal will benefit the whole community and bring different sections of the community together for a brighter future and encourage regeneration the area.” With construction and restoration work already underway the school is expected to start welcoming pupils this September.
Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/...ned-into-school-97319-28743050/#ixzz1NDcjvBQz