(UK) Gidea Park: Plans for new 300 place autism school in the works

Mar 2, 2026, Balgores new SEND school Gidea Park consultation launched | Romford Recorder

Plans for a new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school in Gidea Park are set to move a step closer.

Havering Council has launched a consultation on the change of use of the Balgores Field site in Gidea Park to a new SEND development, known as Balgores Special School.

While planning permission was granted for the scheme in December 2025, the council has now issued a notice of its intention to appropriate the land for planning purposes - and is seeking feedback from residents.

The school will provide education for children and young people aged four to 19 with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), and social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH), up to a maximum capacity of 300 students.

Planning documents reveal that the site will stretch to more than 6,000 sqm and consist of 38 new classrooms in total. . . .