Councillors asked to approve extra £4.4m for 40-place Barnsley specialist school
The Mill at Worsbrough Bridge is set to be converted to provide 40 places for children with special educational needs
The projected cost of creating a specialist primary school in Barnsley has more than doubled to £7.37m, up £4.4m on the budget approved last October.
The Mill at Worsbrough Bridge is set to be converted to provide 40 places for children with special educational needs and disabilities, helping more pupils learn closer to home.
Barnsley Council’s cabinet will consider the revised budget on Wednesday, October 7. Children are expected to start at the school in September 2028.
A report says surveys and design work have revealed more extensive refurbishment, access works and specialist equipment requirements than originally anticipated.
Building works and specialist fit-out costs have risen from £1.83m to £3.63m, while the estimated cost of a new site entrance and vehicle access route has risen from £320,000 to £760,000.
Fees, overheads, risk and contingency allowances now total £2.34m, compared with £420,000 previously.
Officers describe the overall figure as a cautious estimate rather than a final construction price.
The project would be paid for entirely through a ring-fenced government grant, without additional council borrowing. Cabinet agreed in February to accept £9.4m to create and improve SEND and alternative provision across Barnsley.
Waterton Academy Trust is the preferred partner to run the school. Temporary provision at Kings Oak offers up to 20 places while The Mill progresses.
Councillor Gary Hall, cabinet spokesperson for children’s services, said: “These proposals would help us create more specialist primary school places locally, so more children with SEND can learn closer to home.
“The Mill would make good use of an existing council-owned site and help us provide more specialist education places here in Barnsley, reducing the need for children to travel outside the borough for their education.”
Officers estimate that, once full, the school could reduce annual placement and transport costs by £1.65m compared with equivalent independent and out-of-borough provision.
They say refurbishing The Mill remains the most deliverable option.