Plans for SEND school pushed back once again

Plans for a special educational needs and disability (SEND) school in Surrey have been pushed back again because of a government delay, a council has confirmed.

Margaret Cooksey, Mole Valley District Council’s (MVDC) cabinet member for planning, said the authority had anticipated information from the Department for Education (DfE) on the proposed Betchwood Vale Academy in Dorking by the end of October.

The councillor said the date was not met and it was "impossible" to make a decision in February as was hoped.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it believed "every child and young person deserves the best life chances" which is why it announced a "significant" £1bn investment into the SEND system in the budget.

In March 2023, MVDC resolved to grant planning permission for the school; however, a High Court challenge was filed by a claimant.

The council said after consulting with the DfE, it requested the court quashed the original decision, and it did so in July on the basis of the challenge in respect of habitat regulations.

Bridget Kendrick, the council's deputy leader, said she expected to receive the DfE information by the end of August.

She also hoped that the council would have been able to make a new planning decision in either October or November.

Ms Cooksey said the local authority had been told the government department could not give a timeframe for the additional information.

She said: “I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we remain committed to making a new planning decision as soon as possible.

"We fully understand the importance of timely progress; however, the timeframe for bringing this application to a future development management committee meeting is entirely dependent on when the DfE provides the additional information it wishes to submit."

The DfE spokesperson said: “We are committed to improving inclusivity, expertise and the capacity within mainstream schools, as well as making sure special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

“The reform families are crying out for will take time but we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed.”

The school had a provisional opening date of September 2025.

Surrey County Council has been contacted to see if this has been revised.

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