Former St Leonards school site could be sold for housing

On Tuesday (January 26), Cllr Nick Bennett, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for resources, is expected to consider proposals to sell the St Leonards Academy’s former Darwell Close campus, also known as the former Grove School site.

Details of the sale price and the purchaser are currently confidential, although it is very likely the land is to be sold to a residential property developer.

This is as the former school site already has outline planning permission for the construction of up to 210 homes and, officers say, was marketed through “an experienced property agent for residential redevelopment sites.” 

The site has also been designated for residential development in local planning policy.

While the site already has outline planning permission, the consent was granted some time ago with a legal agreement signed in June 2018. 

As a result, any reserved matters application would need to be submitted prior to before 21 June 2021 to avoid the time limit on the existing permission. 

The outline consent binds any future developer to providing at least 25 per cent of the site as affordable housing as well as significant financial contributions to local services and infrastructure.

The previous school buildings have already been demolished.