New school approved

Plans to replace an ageing Smethwick school have been approved by councillors.

George Betts Primary Academy in West End Avenue, Smethwick, will be replaced with a new building under proposals approved by Sandwell Council’s planning committee last month.

The planning application by the Department for Education said the new school buildings would be built alongside the existing school to avoid closures and minimise disruption with outdoor facilities and landscaping added afterwards.

A new drop-off area, which the school does not currently have, would also be built as part of a reconfigured and larger car park.

Sandwell Council’s planning committee approved the work on October 21.

The new school is expected to be built by April next year with the remaining work completed by the end of the year.

The smaller school building would provide more outdoor space for its 420 pupils and the new designs include a play area for younger children, a reading garden, and a repositioned netball court being built on the footprint of the old school.

More than 100 new trees would also be planted.

A statement included with the application said the existing buildings were “placing a financial burden” and required “modernistation, repair and ongoing maintenance.”

The new school would deliver a “contemporary, high‑quality school building that enhances the school’s presence on West End Avenue, complements surrounding development, and safeguards the amenities of neighbouring properties” and “provide accessible, flexible and modern teaching facilities, supported by a comprehensive range of ancillary spaces, to create an appealing and effective learning environment for pupils and staff.

The statement goes on to say the new school would be a “low‑carbon, climate‑resilient development […] designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation” and reduce congestion in West End Avenue.

“The submitted scheme has been carefully developed in response to the constraints and opportunities of the site and will provide substantial public benefits,” the application said. “These include the replacement of buildings that are no longer fit for modern educational use, the delivery of improved teaching and support spaces, enhanced external areas for recreation and learning, better accessibility, and a significantly improved environmental and operational performance.

“The redevelopment will therefore represent a meaningful and lasting investment in local social infrastructure.

“The existing school buildings are in poor condition and their replacement has been identified as the only realistic long-term solution. In that context, the application is not simply acceptable because it retains an existing lawful use; it is positively supported because it enables the modernisation of an important community facility in a sustainable location, without increasing pupil numbers or introducing an incompatible form of development.”

By Christian Barnett | Local Democracy Reporting Service