A FIRE-hit derelict former school and grounds could finally be redeveloped for housing after being left to decay for two decades.
Kebbell Homes unveiled new plans for St Peter’s, on the outskirts of Gainford, at a public consultation event held in the village hall last week.
While previous proposals have never got off the drawing board, Kebbell Homes regional director Mike Mulligan said the firm was “much more confident” this latest scheme would progress.
His company has drawn up proposals to turn what remains of the old school into nine apartments, with 48 two, three and four bedroomed houses in the grounds.
The scheme would include 11 affordable homes, with access taken from the main A67.
Previous plans have stalled because while Kebbell Homes owns much of the grounds, the former school building and a smaller adjacent area of land is in the hands of another developer – Ruttle Developments.
However, Mr Mulligan said the two firms had begun negotiations over St Peter’s.
“We are much more confident now. We have engaged a lot more with the county and the planners,” he said.
“It has taken a long time to prepare the information and what we have submitted has been received well.”
He added: “We have got a dialogue with them [Ruttle] now – we have never had that before, although we have never been in a position to have a dialogue before.
“It will be more of a positive from our perspective if we can take control of the whole site. We are confident the scheme proposed can be achieved, even if it has to be done in two parts.”
The red-bricked St Peter’s was built in 1899. It was originally an orphanage and later became an approved school, which closed in 1983.
Then in 1986, it was given new life as a nursing home, but this shut in 1998 and the building has been empty since.
Two years ago the four-storey building was badly damaged by a fire which is thought to have been started deliberately, after which part of the structure was demolished and a bund made of rubble established around the building.
Ian Lyle, of Kebbell’s planning consultants ELG, said it would be a couple of months before a formal application would be submitted to Durham County Council.
“We have done the necessary background surveys and checks and consulted with Durham County Council.
“This is the public consultation exercise in advance of the application,” he said.
More than 100 people attended the consultation event of which more than half submitted comments on the plans.
After the event, Mr Lyle added: “I think it went well. People seemed very positive and there were a number of constructive comments.”
Mr Mulligan said the plans as presented to public consultation represented a “first stab” at the housing mix on the site.
“It is not cast in stone. We do take notice of what the local community asks for.”
Residents at the event broadly welcomed the scheme. David Pullan said at first look, it appeared acceptable.
Dave Greenland, chairman of Gainford Allotment Association, whose plots border St Peter’s, said it seemed like a “decent” plan.
His primary concern was to do with the access off the main road.
“There are issues with the traffic coming in and out at peak times. I would recommend moving the buffer zone further out of the village and the 30mph limit to the edge of the village to take in St Peter’s,” he said.
“As far as the application itself, for the size of the plot, they are not trying to get too many houses on there.”
