Special school set for go-ahead

The school at Nine Maidens would be for up to 20 11 to 14-year-olds

A centre for young people with behavioural problems in Cornwall could be given planning permission on Monday, despite strong local opposition.

At the moment, many children who cannot be taught in mainstream schools are sent outside the county.

Cornwall Social Services wants to set up a specialist school for up to 20 11 to 14-year-olds on the site of the old Nine Maidens School near Redruth.

But many local residents fear it will threaten their security.

'Best site'

One resident, Jane Dunstan, said she believed the site was also too close to a busy road.

"How are they going to keep these children amused? If they are staying at weekends there are limited bus facilities and no pavements here.

"If they walk into town at weekends that road could prove a death trap."

But Social Services director Carol Tozer said none of the children was a threat to themselves or others and said Nine Maidens was the best site available.

Specialist team

"We need to put three things together in one place - a school, a small residential unit and an office suite for a multi-disciplined outreach team.

"These sorts of sites across the county are few and far between and, after scouring Cornwall, Nine Maidens was the optimum place."

She said sending children out of the area to be taught cost social services thousands of pounds every week per child.

The new school in the county would mean the children would be closer to their families, and supervised by a team of specialists.

Protesters are to greet members of the county council's planning committee when they turn up to discuss the matter on Monday.