Former Brackley school set to become a community and performance centre

A range of options to bring the vacant buildings of Southfields School, Brackley back into use for the community are being explored by officers and councillors of West Northants Council.

As part of the proposals the council is looking to provide a flexible space for community groups across the Brackley area to use for uses such as youth groups, hosting meetings and delivering productions.

West Northamptonshire Council has worked to ensure that the ‘theatre’ space is available for volunteer organisations to use in order to deliver key community services. The council is also looking at additional opportunities for how the space can support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.

Cllr Fiona Baker, West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education and ward member for Brackley, said: “We are working hard to retain a dedicated community space to provide local organisations with the opportunity to deliver a wide range of key activities which will benefit people of all ages across Brackley and the wider area.

“We are pleased be exploring opportunities to transform this empty school into a space for our community. Over the coming months we will confirm our plans to ensure that this vacant space is brought forward into a community hub for local residents, community groups and our SEND children and their families to use.”

The school closed when pupil numbers dropped to a quarter of its capacity in spite of a fight by the community to keep it open because of a projected increase in Brackley’s population.