Plans unveiled to convert Grade II listed Northamptonshire hall into school for up to 200 pupils with special educational needs

Overstone Park School has bought Maidwell Hall, just off Harborough Road north of Brixworth, and wants to use it as its second campus, with pupils aged 11 to 18, according to plans submitted to West Northants Council (WNC).

The school would be called Overstone Park Independent Therapeutic School and initially take day pupils, with boarding potentially returning in future academic years, according to planning papers.

The applicant said: “Set within beautiful grounds of Maidwell Hall, the school will offer excellent facilities and rich resources, where a wealth of historical and educational heritage could be explored.”

They continue: “The proposed flexible use class allows for use of the site for day pupils only initially with boarding being reintroduced in later academic years. It therefore supports the expansion of capacity for Overstone Park School as this will be their second location.”

Maidwell Hall School closed on July 5, 2025. It had 153 pupils when it closed – 57 boarders and 96 day pupils. The former school catered for children aged four to 13.

Now, Overstone Park is proposing to educate up to 200 pupils aged 11 to 18 at the site, with 35 members of staff.

The application says the majority of pupils have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), meaning their travel to and from school is fully funded through Local Authority taxis.

The school says the plans would also help secure the future of the historic building.

The applicant said: “It will secure the long-term preservation of the Grade II Listed Maidwell Hall and the continued optimum viable use of the asset as an independent school which also helps to broaden the choice of school places on offer.”

According to plans, there would not be any external or internal changes to Maidwell Hall, and so its ‘character, setting and relationship to its surroundings remains unchanged’.

But around 20 residents have raised concerns about the possible traffic impacts.

One objector challenged figures submitted with the application, particularly an assertion that the former school generated 157 vehicle movements between 8am and 9am.

The resident said this was ‘completely inaccurate and unreflective of the reality on the ground’, claiming morning traffic was ‘routinely low – typically amounting to no more than approximately 30 vehicle movements in that hour’.

They said the higher figures only occurred during occasional start and end-of-term periods.

The resident said: “Converting what was an occasional, termly traffic bottleneck into a daily, twice-a-day occurrence would have a severe and unacceptable impact on local highway safety and neighbourhood amenity.”

Another objector said: “Based on 20 years’ experience of this traffic, it is likely that the proposed number of vehicles is likely to be nearer to double the previous number.”

Another said: “A change of use will mean a huge increase in traffic entering and exiting the property.”

The latest application is open for public comments, with the deadline for submissions set for September 4.

Maidwell Hall has been used for education since 1933.