PLANS for a new million pound hub for people with special educational needs got the thumbs up from Dudley folk.

A consultation on proposals for a new centre on the former Pensnett School site, Tiled House Lane, finished in December and support for the scheme, which will provide post-16 education for up to 40 young people with learning difficulties and disabilities, was unanimous.

The project will be paid for by £1m from the Education Funding Agency plus £600,000 from Dudley Council.

Councillor Tim Crumpton, Dudley cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I’m delighted the consultation received such positive feedback and we can now all look forward to seeing work on the new facility begin. This is an incredibly exciting scheme which will be a huge boost for some of our young people with learning difficulties and for their parents.

“We will be looking to get planning approval in the coming months so that work can begin on site. We will be working with the local community to ensure they benefit from the scheme which will create jobs and a real community facility on a site that is currently empty.”

Meanwhile Dudley Council has also announced a £200,000 plan to tackle a shortage of graveyard space in the borough is set to be completed next month.

The authority will be providing 1,000 new burial plots on land opposite the existing Dudley Cemetery on Clee Road which it says will be enough to last 20 years.

Currently Dudley Cemetery is set to run out of room within 12 months and news that the new site, which includes fencing, gates, pathways and parking bays, will be open in February has been welcomed by Cllr Hilary Bills, Dudley cabinet member for environment and culture.

Cllr Bills said: “I am pleased that work is nearing completion on the much needed extra burial space, so that we can officially open next month.

“We have a good reputation of providing a wide range of bereavement services for everyone in the borough and this new cemetery will continue that.”