Waltham Forest Council's Planning Committee has approved plans to convert Chapel End Early Years Centre into a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) school. The decision, made on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, will see the facility repurposed to cater for up to 40 pupils with SEND, supported by 32 staff members.
The change of use from an Early Years Centre to a SEND school was granted planning permission subject to conditions and informatives. The proposal involves a de-intensification of use, with a significantly reduced capacity compared to the previous 175 pupils. The existing 175 pupils from the Early Years Centre will be relocated to Chapel End Infants School, which has sufficient capacity to accommodate them.
Highways and Transport Policy raised no concerns, anticipating that the reduced capacity would lead to decreased noise and congestion. This reduction in pupils and staff is also expected to significantly increase the provision of much-needed SEND pupil places within Waltham Forest, allowing more children to reduce their travel time to school. However, other projected impacts on the local community are not detailed.
Councillor Liz Biggs chaired the meeting, which saw seven planning applications discussed and granted permission. The committee's decision to approve the SEND school conversion aligns with the council's commitment to increasing SEND provision within the borough. Further details on the planning applications can be found in the Public reports pack for the meeting.
