A special school looks set to open in Northwich after plans to convert an office block were given the green light.

But Cheshire West and Chester Council has raised concerns aspects of the school could conflict with its own education policy.

Council planning officers recently rubber-stamped an application to turn Sherwood House on Gadbrook Park into the Adventure Wellbeing School.

The school will have space for 108 children with special educational needs and employ 30 staff, as well as eight drivers and chaperones to provide minibus transport.

It will also feature an adventure trail, forest school, vegetable patch and flower garden, music zone, outdoor reading and 'chillout zone', sandpit and water play area.

The age range of pupils will be five to 11, with mild to moderate learning difficulties. The placement of children would be decided Cheshire West and Chester.

Despite granting permission,  an officer’s report, said: "There is lack of clarity around the specific type of special educational needs (SEN) provision the school would cater for.

"The applicant's supporting statement sets out that the school would be for mild to moderate learning difficulties - but then the applicant has further set out that the school would cater for autism, ADHD and ASD with classes of eight and one teacher and one teaching assistant per class."

It added: "It is the council’s aim the majority of our children with MLD (moderate learning difficulties), if not all, should be educated within a mainstream setting in order to encourage inclusion wherever possible.

"This is in line with the councils growth agenda for mainstream resource provision. It is felt a proposed new independent school for MLD pupils would conflict with the council's inclusion agenda."

It added: "There are also significant concerns raised over the realistic nature of the transport statement and suggestion that the children will arrive at the school in mini buses, with it indicated that the proposal as a result will result in a unacceptable highway safety impact."

Sherwood House is an unoccupied, 757sqm two-storey office building built in the mid-1980s as part of the Gadbrook Park business park.