SEND educational facility proposed for Retford industrial park

Polly Teach Ltd, a subsidiary of the specialist Portland College, applied to Bassetlaw District Council on Thursday, June 26, to turn an empty unit in West Carr Business Park into an educational facility for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Portland College, which is also a charity, is located near Mansfield and offers residential care and education programmes for students with SEND.

Pollyteach, its subsidiary, offers an alternative learning environment for young peopled aged eight to 16 who have emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

It became part of the charity in 2020 and currently operates from four locations across Ashfield, Bassetlaw, and Mansfield.

Planning documents state: “The student attendees face challenges within traditional/mainstream school environments and this alternative approach enables learners to build their self-esteem, confidence and social skills with the development of a bespoke education programme to support their interests and goals.”

Plans state there would be spaces for 12 students, with the building proposed to open Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 2.30pm for students and 8.30am until 4.30pm for staff.

The applicant previously submitted a ‘prior approval’ application to the council to see if this was needed to change the function and purpose of the empty unit or if full planning permission was needed.

This ‘prior approval’ was refused in March 2025 on the grounds plans would “result in an unacceptable highways impact” for pedestrians and vehicles and have an “unacceptable noise impact” on future occupiers in the business park.

But planning papers say the applicant believes there was a “misunderstanding” of how the proposed educational site will operate within the wider industrial park.

Current plans state there would be no regular deliveries to the site if plans are approved, with staff and student lunches being “sourced locally”.

Students are also expected to arrive by taxi or another private vehicle and a total of 24 car parking spaces are proposed.

Six of these would be allocated for staff, 12 for students leaving and arriving and six would be for visitors.

Plans also state the unit’s landlord has done “significant” refurbishment to the unit, including soundproofing to the wall joined to the next unit, with “no complaints” from the previous tenant.

Four staff members would be typically present each day but this could rise to six “depending on the support needs of the students” according to papers.

Accessing the site would be through controlled gate which is shared with other businesses, including a dance school, and requires an access code.

Bassetlaw District Council will decide on this application at a later stage.

Portland College were contacted for comment on the plans.