Education trust submits bid for Melton college and theatre site

Loughborough College Group put the Asfordby Road site on the market for £3.5M back in February with bids sought from community organisations as well as developers and the private sector.

We reported previously that Discovery Schools Academies Trust was strongly interested in taking on the site with the aim of providing 75 places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It wanted to extend the provision is has at one of its family of schools – Melton’s Birch Wood Area Special School – to meet a growing need for SEND places across Leicestershire and the wider region.

And Discovery has now announced it has forwarded a bid although it acknowledges it is a ‘complex’ deal and there is no guarantee it will be successful, with a sale being pursued by this summer.

Loughborough College Group confirmed that it had received ‘multiple bids’ for the site.

Director of specialist provision at Discovery Trust, Rosalind Hopkins, said: “We believe our proposal reflects a strong and sustainable option.

"However, this is a complex process and there are elements outside of our control, particularly where national approvals and funding mechanisms are involved.

"The pace of the sale process can also make it challenging to align with the timeframes required for public sector approvals.

"These factors inevitably affect certainty, and it is possible that a viable solution cannot be reached.

“We will continue to engage constructively as the situation develops and remain focused on finding the best possible outcome.”

The vision, the Discovery Trust insists, is to retain the site – both the college campus and the theatre - for community use, while helping to address a critical gap in SEND provision.

Mrs Hopkins highlighted the complexity of a process which involves multiple stakeholders and requires alignment with Department for Education approvals, alongside additional regulatory and funding processes and capital transfer considerations.

She said: “We have worked incredibly hard to put forward a proposal that reflects what this community needs and deserves.

"Our focus has always been on ensuring the site continues to serve a meaningful purpose for local people and meets the growing need for SEND provision locally.

“Across Leicestershire, there is a well-documented shortage of specialist places for young people with additional needs, with hundreds of students currently without suitable provision.

"As a Trust with a strong track record of delivering specialist education, we are carefully assessing whether we can play a role in shaping a positive and sustainable future for the site.”

Loughborough College Group is selling the site because it is considered not financially viable to run alongside its other educational centres at Loughborough, Brooksby and Coalville.

The 340-seat theatre has been a much-loved community venue for half-a-century – the 2026 programme of shows are guaranteed to go ahead.

A spokesperson for Loughborough College told the Melton Times: “We can confirm that we have received multiple bids and are currently engaging with all interested parties to discuss their proposals in detail.

“No immediate decisions will be made. Our priority is to ensure a considered process that delivers the best possible outcome for all parties involved.”