Closed Bruton School for Girls’ future to be discussed as site could …

Two parish councils are set to meet together to discuss the future of Bruton School for Girls. Bruton^[1] School for Girls closed in the summer of 2022 after 122 years of operation^[2], citing low pupil numbers - a decision which came as a shock to local parents^[3].

The site was put on the market in January at a guide price of £9m^[4], and is still being advertised by estate agents Knight Frank at the time of writing. But questions still loom over the site and its possible use in the community.

Bruton Town Council and Pitcombe Parish Council have jointly arranged a meeting to hear views about Bruton School for Girls consultation on Monday, November 27. The public meeting will discuss the sale of part of the former school site, and the proposed charitable purposes for which the proceeds of the sale are to be used.

The trustees of Bruton School for Girls have been invited to the meeting to summarise their proposals and answer questions about the proposals. The land and buildings for sale include the Sunny Hill Nursery and the Main School along with tennis courts, Old School and Dining Room, three prefabricated buildings, a Hobhouse, and the Visitor WCs.

According to a public notice,^[7] Bruton School for Girls Trust has proposed an application be made to the Charity Commission for England and Wales to permit the sale of the school site and enable the proceeds of the sale to be used for a number of projects. They include:

• The advancement of education at King's School, Bruton (KSB), including all or any of King's School, Hazlegrove Preparatory School and any other school owned or operated by KSB at any time and at the nursery school known as Sunny Hill Nursery ('the Nursery')
• by the provision of bursaries to girls up to the age of 18 and to boys up to the age of 8 at either or both of KSB and the Nursery, such boys and girls being referred to below as the beneficiaries
• By supporting activities, providing facilities or equipment which support either or both of KSB and the Nursery, and advance the education of the beneficiaries

The operation of the Sunny Hill Nursery, which is part of the Bruton^[8] School for Girls charity and located on part of the site, continues to operate and will be unaffected by the sale. Pitcombe Parish Council has registered the astroturf pitches within the site as assets of community value, which means they could not be redeveloped without giving the community an opportunity to purchase them for local provision.

Chair of Bruton Town Council, Stuart Anderton, told Somerset Live that he hopes there can be a meaningful discussion about the future of the site. They are keen to retain the astroturf pitch used by hockey and football clubs for public use as well as ensure there is sustainable housing on the site if built.

He said: "As the question is now the future of the site, we are focussed on two things; the retention of facilities used by the town, in particular the astroturf pitch used by hockey and football clubs, and the sustainability of any housing development that might take place.

"The astroturf pitch is well used and was recently declared an asset of community value, meaning that local groups must be given the opportunity to bid for it before it can be sold. Other facilities in the school, in particular the theatre, would also be of great value.

"We hope that non-housing use of parts of the site will be considered - a new doctors' surgery perhaps, although that would obviously be up to the current one to look at. When it comes to housing the key thing is scale.

"Some enormous numbers have been bandied about which would increase the size of "greater Bruton" substantially and put enormous pressure on our infrastructure, especially given two other large projects at the other end of town."

Knight Frank head of education and charities team Emma Cleugh said: “This is the rarest of opportunities for an incoming purchaser to acquire a beautifully situated collection of buildings^[9] with potential to create something really special in the future. Subject to the necessary planning consents, the property would be suitable for a mix of uses and development given its scale and this could include redevelopment for residential or leisure use – such as homes, seniors housing or a hotel.”

A spokesperson for the trustees of Bruton^[10] School for Girls, added: “We are extremely mindful of the significance of the site to the local community, and any offers will be considered in this context. The trustees intend to use the proceeds of the sale to further the objects of the charity which is to promote the education in Bruton of girls of all school ages and of boys aged under eight.”

Anyone wishing to make a representation on the proposal is invited to do so by December 4, 2023 in writing to Mrs N Fenton, Bruton School for Girls, Sunny Hill, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0NT. They can also email [email protected].

References

1. ^{^} Bruton (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} closed in the summer of 2022 after 122 years of operation (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} came as a shock to local parents (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} put on the market in January at a guide price of £9m (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Future of disabled riding arena saved after two-year battle (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
6. ^{^} 140 new homes to be built on food-and-mouth disease burial ground in Somerset (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
7. ^{^} According to a public notice, (brutontowncouncil.gov.uk)
8. ^{^} Bruton (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
9. ^{^} buildings (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
10. ^{^} Bruton (www.somersetlive.co.uk)