BIRMINGHAM City Council has spoken out about the fire which ripped through the former Hunters Hill College site in Blackwell.
Speaking to the Standard, in response to comments from Councillor Alex Yip, the authority said it understood the concern the fire would cause, given the building’s history and its importance to many families.
The council was criticised by Coun Yip who said expressed his sadness at the damage to the historic educational building which housed the school and asked why more was not done to protect it.
Picture by Marcus Mingins. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “Following its closure, responsibility for the site transferred to the council in its role as trustee, with management arrangements overseen through our Corporate Landlord function.
“Approval was previously granted to progress the disposal of the wider Cropwood Estate and work has been underway to prepare the site for marketing, including appointing agents and developing sales particulars.
“In the period since closure, we have also been taking steps to reduce risks at the site, including progressing partial demolition works to mitigate fire and wider safety concerns.
“Despite these measures, it is clear that this has not been sufficient to prevent this latest incident.”
They added, in light of the fire, the authority would now need to review the disposal strategy and associated plans to ensure they remained appropriate.
“Our priority will be to work with the trust and Charities Committee to progress a transfer of the site and secure a suitable long-term use as soon as possible.
“We recognise the concerns that have been raised about the site remaining vacant.
“As with many specialist former education sites, identifying a viable future use can take time, particularly given the need to balance educational, community and legal considerations linked to its trust status.
“The souncil takes the safety and security of its sites seriously and will continue to review arrangements as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
“We remain committed to ensuring that all children and young people in Birmingham, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, have access to appropriate, high-quality provision across the city.”
Picture by Marcus Mingins. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
On the formal decision-making process which led to the closure, the council added a range of factors were considered, including the condition of the building and educational standards.
“Hunters Hill was a residential SEMH school which closed in 2021 following a formal decision-making process that considered a range of factors, including the condition of the building and educational standards.”
