Plans for a transformative £20 million new primary school in Oldbury have been given the green light by councillors, promising to move pupils from a dilapidated, flood-prone building into a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient facility.
From 'Poorest' to 'Space Age': A New Dawn for Causeway Green
Sandwell Council's Labour cabinet unanimously backed the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday, January 14. The new Causeway Green Primary School will form a key part of the major Brandhall Village development, set to be built on the former Brandhall golf course. The wider scheme also includes 190 new homes and a substantial 67-acre public park.
The existing Causeway Green Primary School on Penncricket Lane has been described in a cabinet report as "structurally failing" and in "extremely poor condition." The 70-year-old building suffers from corroded steel frames, has exceeded its economic life, and is plagued by regular flooding. Councillor Peter Hughes, cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure, starkly contrasted the old and new, stating children would move "from one of the poorest schools in the borough to something that was space age."
A 'Net Zero' Future with Passivhaus Principles
The replacement will be a 420-pupil, 'net zero' school designed to rigorous Passivhaus standards. This approach prioritises exceptional insulation, high-performance windows, and advanced ventilation systems to drastically cut energy demands and the carbon footprint.
While building to this eco-friendly standard will cost approximately £1 million more than a traditional design, the council emphasises that significantly lower running costs will save money in the long term. Councillor Mohammed Jalal Uddin, cabinet member for children and families, hailed the project as "Sandwell Council investing in the future," creating a "leading edge" educational environment.
The council confirmed that constructing a new school on a fresh site was the most cost-effective solution, ruling out rebuilding on the existing Penncricket Lane location, which would have cost up to £5 million more. The authority is now exploring potential future uses for the old school site once it is vacated.
Timeline and Development Context
According to the latest plans, construction on the new school is scheduled to begin in autumn of this year, with completion targeted for early 2028. An earlier cabinet report from November 2024 had suggested an opening date of early 2027.
The school will be situated near the corner of Grafton Road and Ferndale Road within the Brandhall Village footprint. This development represents a scaled-back version of initial proposals, which originally envisioned 550 homes on the golf course land. The plans were reduced by two-thirds following significant local opposition, including campaigns by the Brandhall Green Space Action Group. The final planning application for the 190 homes was approved in 2023 despite receiving over 200 objections.
Councillor Harnoor Bhullar, cabinet member for education, concluded that the new school would create a "positive impact for children" and finally replace the current inadequate building environment, securing a modern, sustainable educational facility for the Oldbury community.
