The campus is situated on the south side of Wrens Hill Road in the heart of Wren’s Nest Hill. The college has used the buildings since 1990.

Originally opened in 1965 as Wren’s Nest Secondary School, the name was changed in 1975 to the Mons Hill School. The school closed in July 1990 and the facilities became part of Dudley College. By 1993 a multi-million pound extension was completed to meet the demands of the college.

In May 2011 the college submitted an outline planning application to demolish all the buildings and replace them with up to 80 houses.

This is a contentious development and has drawn substantial objections because of its proximity to the Wren’s Nest National Nature Reserve and historic limestone workings of national importance.

In the 1960s it seemed an excellent spot for a new school, although our greater awareness of environmental issues might make this look unwise in hindsight. The proposed residential replacement would certainly be a backward step.

The Wren’s Nest and Castle Hill deserve international recognition – World Heritage status would be a just reward. The demolition of these educational premises offers the opportunity to build a sensitive visitor and educational centre and move towards this goal.