Training centre to open in Brownhills high street
A former solicitor's office will be transformed into a new training centre in a town centre, under fresh plans.
Nova Training, which has sites across the West Midlands, provides training and apprenticeship opportunities to young people who have left school and have not been successful in education.
Outbuildings at the site in Brownhills High Street will be demolished to create room for classrooms for 65 students to be trained at any one time, under plans lodged with Walsall Council.
According to the plans, Nova Training has an existing training facility at Maybrook Industrial Estate but the organisation is being forced to move as it cannot secure a new lease.
A report, lodged with the plans, reads: "This facility is important to both the students and the sustainability of the existing High Street.
"The existing retails units will benefit from the influx of the students in the area and will be considered as a sustainable use of an existing vacant unit.
"Nova have had an existing training facility for nine years in Brownhills at the Maybrook Industrial Estate but unfortunately the landlord will not renew the lease.
"If Nova cannot move into this proposed facility, the applicant will have to leave the area.
"Nova currently employ 10 staff at their existing facility and these jobs would be lost as there is no other provider within the vicinity."
The plans involve building a two-storey extension to the existing base and demolishing outbuildings to build the classroom space, toilets and a lobby area.
The report added: "The total classroom area including the classrooms in the existing building will be 165m sq, this will allow 65 students to be trained at any one time.
"All the students and staff will either use public transport or use the existing adequate public car parking areas.
"Access to the proposed facility will only be from the High Street, the only time the rear access will be used will be in an emergency evacuation situation."
Nova Training employs 175 staff an in 2013 had more than 1,400 foundation learners and 469 apprentices.
It was founded in 1992 and is a division of Staff Select Ltd, with its head office based in Willenhall.
The new facility would be open between 8.30am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays and would be closed at weekends.
A decision on the proposals is due to be made by council planning chiefs in the upcoming months.
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