Bristol parents' bid to protect former special needs school

A group of parents have launched a bid to protect the site of a former school.

St Christopher's School in Westbury Park, Bristol, closed in 2020, after it was deemed economically unviable.

If the site is declared an asset of community value, it will prevent it being sold or developed without the local community being given a chance to buy it first.

The parents' bid has been backed by Aardman Animations founder Peter Lord and Bristol North West MP Darren Jones.

In August, Bristol City Council refused plans to convert the site of the former special needs school into a luxury retirement village.

More than 1,300 objections were lodged against the plans.

Julie Owen's daughter Angharad Owen spent nine years at St Christopher's.

"It's crying out to be another special school.

"There is an opportunity there and the council should grab it because this could help meet the needs of all those children who don't have a place.

"Going there meant Angharad was able to stay part of our family, otherwise she would have been hundreds of miles away and that would have been too traumatic," she said.

In a letter sent to Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, MP Darren Jones said he supported the proposal to make the site an asset of community value.

He said he hoped the site could be used to "further the social wellbeing of the local community in the future", as it had done when it was a school.

Peter Lord from Aardman Animations also supports the proposal.

He said: "As a near neighbour of St Christopher's School, I am very aware of how valuable it was for children and parents alike within the Bristol community. "

A decision on the application will be made by Bristol City Council in the next eight weeks.

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