Smallwood Manor Hospital in Uttoxeter, North Staffordshire, has been sold to independent children’s home provider, Resicare Alliance, off an asking price of £4m.

Originally designed by Robert Edis and built in 1886, the 48.66-acre estate is centred around Smallwood Manor, a Grade ll-listed Elizabethan-style country residence partly refurbished in 2021 to accommodate a children’s hospital and mental health centre.

The surrounding grounds accommodate a walled garden, tennis courts, playing fields, and artificial turf pitch.

The estate sits in a desirable setting within East Staffordshire, close to the hamlet of Netherland Green, and is accessible via a private driveway which leads to the estate.

The closest town is Uttoxeter, which is 4.8km to the north.

It was previously a private school that ceased trading in 2021 and, although it was partly refurbished to provide alternative care facilities, it subsequently came back to the market in 2024.

Following a sales process with Julie Kitson at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by the independent children’s home provider, Resicare Alliance.

Donna Varley-Turner, chief executive at Resicare Alliance, said: “We are very pleased to have acquired such a beautiful building with such spacious ground.

“This will enable us to continue our expansion into the SEN sector and build on our successful children’s home business.”

Kitson added: “The site will offer children an amazing open space and a building that can offer plenty of classrooms and activity space.

“Having worked with Resicare on previous purchases, I felt that this property would offer them a unique opportunity to create an SEN school.

“The site is beautiful, and the additional buildings will allow them to have children’s homes and training facilities. I wish them every success.”

The sale was supported by David Spitzer at BNI Law, and Liz Roberts at gunnercooke LLP.