MALVERN Hills College could soon re-open as a school for special educational needs and disabilities. 

A prospective buyer has met with Malvern Civic Society to reveal 'very impressive' plans for a 120-place day school for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

Following this meeting, the civic society, which expressed an interest in the long-closed college, decided to back out of the race to take it over. 

The Gazette revealed earlier this month that Warwickshire College Group (WCG), which owns the college and closed it in 2021, confirmed the site was under offer from a specialist education provider. 

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The vice president of the civic society, Clive Hooper, said the plans would cater to the plans of Malvern and wider Worcestershire, with many people needing SEND support having to travel out of the area to get the education they need. 

He added: “I made arrangements for the civic societies executive committee members and me to discuss with the prospective purchase group what their plans were for the development of the premises. 

"The Executive Committee met shortly after that meeting and members were impressed with what the group hoped to achieve."

As of January 2023, 1,197 children living in Malvern require SEND Support and 623 have an Education Health and Care Plan.

Mr Hooper said the potential bidder is a Certified B Corporation and therefore legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders, customers, workers and communities. 

The civic society is now looking to work with the mooted buyer to 'optimise additional community value' from the premises. 

They will look at options in Malvern to see if space for art education and community activities could be created elsewhere.

Mr Hooper added: “Whilst there is support for the prospective purchase, there would still be a shortfall in providing access to lifelong learning which has negatively impacted the community, not just the many hundreds who were actively enrolled at the former college, but all those now disenfranchised from engaging in the adult and creative education that it offered.“

The civic society's executive committee has agreed to approach Malvern Hills District Council to see whether funding previously allocated to assist with buying the college buildings might be used to build new premises. 

If given the green light, this new building would provide some of the facilities the former college had offered. 

A brief for the project is being prepared and if considered feasible extra cash for it would be raised.