Plans to build multi-million pound SEND school on edge of Northampton set to be approved

Plans to build a multi-million pound special school on the edge of Northampton for hundreds of students are set to be approved.

In September, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) submitted long-awaited plans to build a new three-storey school at the former St. John's Centre in Tiffield.

These plans are set to be granted permission at WNC’s strategic planning committee on Tuesday night (January 23), according to planning papers.

Councillor Fiona Baker, cabinet member for education on the Tory-run council, previously said the school is estimated to cost £23 million to build, “subject to final feasibility reports”.

Documents also say it has been agreed in principle to borrow up to £10 million to make up the shortfall for the cost of building the new school. The remaining cost of the build will be met through capital grant funding received by the council.

What are the plans?

The vacant St. John's Centre, which was previously used by the council for children and family services, will be demolished and the new ‘Tiffield Academy’ would be built in its place.

The special school would cater to students on the autistic spectrum, those with speech, language, and communication needs, and severe learning difficulties.

As well as multiple classrooms across the three floors, the school would also have specialised teaching rooms such as a science laboratory, food technology, art and design, music room, and a library.

Each floor of the building also includes essential spaces to support pupils, staff and administrative functions. These include hygiene rooms, staff rooms, and office spaces.

The school's comprehensive facilities also include a 134-space car park, cycle parking, outdoor PE areas, and enrichment features like a sensory garden and horticulture area.

The school would aim to open in September 2025, according to WNC, which is a one-year extension from the initially anticipated timeline.

A WNC spokeswoman said: “The development will ensure children with additional needs are able to access education in a provision best placed to serve their needs, reducing the need for mainstream school setting to provide places. If the school is unable to open, this would result in the failure of WNC fulfilling its statutory obligations of providing SEND places within West Northamptonshire in future academic years.”

Objections

Tiffield Parish Council (TPC) has objected to the plans purely due to traffic concerns.

A parish council spokeswoman said: “The need for the school itself and the plans for its build and development are not the issue.

"The proposal will at the very least result in significant injury and damage to users of the new school, those transporting them to and from the location and other motorists using the A43 around the St John’s Road junction.

“Proposals for minibuses and taxis hired to deliver and collect pupils from the school using the A43 would be contrary to the current arrangements at The Gateway School whose contracted drivers are required not to use the A43.

"There will be a risk that drivers travelling to the new school will soon revert to travelling through the narrow country lanes around Tiffield and Caldecote once they realise how dangerous the A43 junction is.”

TPC said the proposed traffic survey is “inadequate and needs to be done again”.

Towcester Town Council added: “We acknowledge and support the need for the SEND school but echo the very serious safety concerns for pupils, parents and staff proposed to use the A43 cross-over junction to access the site. This junction is widely known to be dangerous.”

Parents at the West Northants SEND Action Group said: “This school is desperately needed and we are pleased to see it progressing, but are concerned by the slow pace given the SEND crisis and the backdrop of serious systemic failings by WNC. Given their inability to manage the development of the Hunsbury Park SEND Unit and their decision to further let vulnerable families down rather than be honest with them at the earliest opportunity, we worry that there may be further delays and that these may not be be communicated transparently. The one year delay to the Tiffield school that has already happened appears to have been kept quiet by WNC, as though they hoped people simply wouldn’t notice.

“WNC also needs to remember that this school is not the answer to all of the West Northants SEND community’s woes. More places are needed, with those children who are currently without education provision having a legal entitlement right now - not in September 2025, or potentially much later if it’s going be a phased opening. This school will not provide places to all those in need and it certainly will not fix the culture within WNC that allows our children and us to be mistreated.

“We also share the concerns of Tiffield Parish and Towcester Town councils and hope that a solution will be found so that these vulnerable children can reach school safely each day.”