Major Regeneration Project for Oldbury School Moves Forward
Sandwell Council has given the green light for the demolition of an empty two-storey modular teaching block at Perryfields Academy in Oldacre Road, Oldbury. This marks the first significant step in a comprehensive multi-million-pound regeneration project that will transform the educational facility.
Outdated Infrastructure Reaching End of Service Life
The planning application submitted by the Department for Education revealed that most of the school buildings have "come to the end of their serviceable life" and are now being prepared for demolition. The current campus consists of structures from different time periods that create a "clustered" layout, which has limited connectivity between buildings and created areas where pupils could potentially be unsupervised by staff.
The demolition work will eventually encompass six buildings deemed "unfit for purpose" at the former Perryfields High School site. These include the unused two-storey block, a modular building, and the school's gym, dance studio, changing rooms, dining hall, and kitchen facilities.
Phased Development Timeline
The ambitious regeneration project follows a carefully planned timeline:
- Demolition of outdated structures beginning with the empty teaching block
- Construction of a new three-storey teaching block on the school's existing playing fields
- Development of new sports facilities on the old school site and car park
- Creation of a new car park replacing the former sports hall and outdoor courts
The application indicates that the new three-storey building should be completed by early 2028, with the entire project, including new sports fields, finished by early 2029.
Comprehensive Facility Improvements
The regeneration will bring substantial improvements to the 1,200-pupil school:
- A modern three-storey teaching block replacing outdated structures
- New sports facilities including grass football pitches, a running track, five-a-side pitches, and basketball and netball courts
- Widened Oldacre Road entrance to allow two-way access and ease congestion
- Improved site layout to reduce changeover times between lessons
- Enhanced surveillance capabilities for pupil safety
Only one existing two-storey teaching block will remain on the current site, with all other structures being replaced as part of the comprehensive redevelopment.
Addressing Safety and Connectivity Concerns
The current school layout has been identified as posing safeguarding issues due to areas where pupils could be unsupervised by staff. The regeneration project aims to create "safe and clear routes" from the existing school to the new building, which will "greatly improve safeguarding issues posed by the current layout."
The new design will provide a more open landscape that improves site surveillance while addressing the connectivity limitations of the current campus arrangement. A separate planning application for the new school building is still pending decision by Sandwell Council.
