There is fresh hope plans for a new 150 place special school could be resurrected.

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported last December Solihull Council missed out on crucial funding for the proposed school in Shirley as the government instead announced it was spending £3 billion nationally to create new specialist places in mainstream schools.

The authority's selected location for the school was Sans Souci Training Centre in Tamworth Lane, Shirley – currently used as a small training centre.

The plan was for the new £15 million school to provide specialist spaces for pupils aged 11-19 years old. But the government's new funding direction had the knock-on effect of the school being axed.

At the time Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council leader Cllr Karen Grinsell said she was "hugely disappointed".

At the latest full council meeting leader of the Green group Cllr Max McLoughlin asked whether the Department for Education (DfE) had restored the funding, to which the council leader replied no.

But giving new hope Cllr Grinsell said: "We have not had a final decision.

"Whilst initially the DfE said no they have now acknowledged our position and we have provided more information.

"We are still awaiting an answer."

Cllr McLoughlin asked if the leader had been made aware the DfE were now minded to restore the funding.

"I couldn't say one way or the other," Cllr Grinsell replied.

"They are looking at it – the last letter came on March 24.

"If I were a guessing person we may hear soon, you never know."

The government previously said the new money will be spent on helping to create calming spaces, supporting children with needs such as autism or ADHD who may feel overstimulated by busy school environments, as well as breakout spaces for children who need more support.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "This government will fix the broken education system for children and young people with SEND by making sure that their local school is also the right school."