CONTROVERSIAL plans to relocate a Stoke Prior special school have been put on ice after councillors ruled there was a lack of space at the proposed site.

It has been suggested Redgrove Special School, which is currently housed in two buildings in Bromsgrove and Redditch, is moved to a single site in Redditch.

The Shaw Lane school and its sister site in Batchley, Redditch, currently caters for 55 pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. They are all aged between seven and 16 years of age.

Worcestershire County Council, as the Local Education Authority, has recommended it will be beneficial to move to the site of Bridley Moor High School, in Batchley, which will become vacant in July 2002 following the Redditch schools review.

However, Bromsgrove district councillors are concerned the new site is too small, as it will only cater for 40 pupils, with the other 15 being educated off-site.

District council leader, Cllr Nick Psirides (Con, Norton) , said: "What is the point of moving 40 pupils out of 55, with nowhere to put the other 15?"

Comments put forward by the public, before the December 21 deadline, will be put to a future executive cabinet meeting.