Special needs units created

Three residential units for people with learning difficulties and special needs have been created in a village near Shrewsbury to cope with a "huge" demand on the service.

Condover College provides a service for vulnerable people with an increasing demand for the service from across the country.

Now three residential units have been created in a former doctor's surgery in Pontesbury to help cope with the increasing demand.

The new units were handed over last month bringing the total to 10 in the village and a further 20 in Condover.

And the college is now also renting the former Grafton Primary School building as a day opportunities and educational centre.

The three new units and the centre are understood to have helped to create about 40 jobs.

Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and Condover College have been working together on the project.

Steve McGill, chief executive of the college, contacted SABC chief executive Robin Hooper two years ago to discuss a potential partnership for the provision of residential accommodation.

Following the meeting the former doctor's surgery in Pontesbury was found, purchased and redeveloped to create the three separate residential "adapted" units.

The project has been run alongside one at the former Grafton Primary School which closed at the end of July last year after more than 56 years.

Following its closure, the school returned to SABC as freeholders and following an "extensive refurbishment" of the site the college is now occupying it as a day opportunities and educational centre. The college is renting both buildings from the borough council.

Mr McGill said: "We have a huge demand on our service.

"Our partnership with SABC has been incredibly productive."

By John Kirk