Council planners have signed off on plans to convert a village house into a "remarkable" new school.

MP for Kenilworth and Southam Sir Jeremy Wright had already thrown his support behind the application to convert Oldmill House, off Five Ways Road, into a facility for children who struggle in mainstream education.

Applicant Northleigh House School Ltd said the Shrewley home would become a school for 35 pupils.

The site is near the existing Northleigh House School which has been helping local children for over a decade.

Signing off on the application, a Warwick District Council report said: "In the opinion of the local planning authority, the proposal is considered acceptable in principle.

"Furthermore, the works would have an acceptable impact on the street scene.

"The development would not have a harmful impact on neighbouring uses and ecological species and the development provides adequate parking arrangements.

"The proposed development is therefore recommended for approval."

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Plans show there will be few changes to the building, but the entrance would be widened.

Northleigh also said it has "numerous" enquiries from potential new students and has eight children who could "come tomorrow" if there was space.

It says the district council has 300 children in need of non-mainstream school places.

"Permission is sought to change the use of the existing dwelling known as Oldmill House to a school," the application said. 

"The school would be an independent mixed school, of age range 11 to 17 years, seeking to cater for vulnerable pupils who are unable to attend mainstream schools." 

It added: "The school is proposed for a maximum of 35 pupils, and in total approx. 10 full time staff and 15 part time staff. 

"All staff will not be present all of the time, with some part time staff only attending to teach for one day a week."

Backing the plans, Sir Jeremy applauded the work the school already does locally.

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"I know that the school has made a huge difference in the lives of children struggling with mainstream education and in the lives of their families," he wrote. 

"The frustration for the school has always been that the limitations of the site have restricted the number of children they can accommodate at once and so, although I cannot comment on the planning merits of any application being made, the prospect of greater capacity for the school to close to the existing facilities is very welcome. 

"What is offered at Northleigh House is both remarkable and very hard to find anywhere else in the area."

See the full application here.