Specialist business property adviser Christie and Co said this week that it had found a tenant for part of Buglawton Hall, the former boys’ school premises previously owned by Manchester City Council.
The premises is a 20-bedroom new residential block building providing accommodation over two floors which was built in 2008, offering lodging for the children from the adjacent school.
The school was previously owned by Manchester City Council and first opened in 1954 catering for children with social, emotional and mental health and severe learning difficulty, going on to close its doors in 2017.
Following the sale of the site, the new residential block has been leased to Nestlings Care, an independent group organisation registered with the CQC and Ofsted to provide specialist therapeutic, residential placements for young people and young adults with mental health difficulties.
Sofia Beck, director for childcare and education at Christie and Co, said: “I was very grateful to assist with this opportunity and equally as pleased to introduce Nestlings Care to this fantastic, historical site.
“Nestlings’ provision is extremely well suited to the premises and Dr Faeza Khan’s unique vision and plan for expansion across this site will offer children and young adults in need of their provision the invaluable opportunity for a more positive future.
“This lease opportunity generated a high level of interest from a range of specialist childcare and care operators. We continue to see increasing demand for vacant premises from SEN providers, which is being driven by the rising number of placements required across the country.
“School sites in particular, are highly sought after, and fees are based on the individual child’s needs plus education.
“There is an ever-increasing urgent need for education to sit alongside the care package and, of course, securing premises that fit the criteria is crucial.”
Nestlings Care provides specialist residential placements for young people and young adults with mental health difficulties. It offers intensive, individualised community care with 24-hour mental health crisis management.
Its website says: “We have identified that there are a number of young people and young adults with complex mental health difficulties who are either deemed unsuitable for inpatient hospital settings, have recurrent hospital admissions or are delayed discharges from hospital due to inadequate or delayed access to mental health services in the community.
“We offer specialist therapeutic placements with an in-house multi-disciplinary mental health team. We provide holistic care within the community in order to empower young people to be independent and enjoy a good quality of life.”¬
Its Lang Riggs House in Manchester is rated outstanding by Ofsted. Radcliffe House, also Manchester, is rated good.
Buglawton Hall dates from the 16th century, with later additions and alterations. In the 19th century its exterior was stuccoed and castellated. Later in the century a billiard room and a service wing were added.
In 1811 Samuel Pearson a silk manufacturer – he later owned the Old Mill at Mill Green, Congleton – was living at Buglawton Hall. In 1883 the owner of the house was Fanny Pearson, a widow, who died that year. One of her daughters, Julia, married Charles Doherty, who was the son of the Chief League of Justice of Ireland, John Doherty, who was a relation to the UK’s shortest serving prime minister George Canning. Their daughter Madelaine was believed to be the last owner of Buglawton Hall.
In 1950 it was purchased by Manchester City Council as a residential school, with the capacity to take 41 children.
