THE former St Christopher’s School site in Westbury Park is up for sale again.
The five-acre site was declared an Asset of Community Value last year because of the contribution the school made to special needs education (SEND) for local children. This means community groups have to be given the first option to buy it.
St Christopher’s Action Network, which opposed the retirement village plans put forward by the previous owners and rejected by city council planners, told the Voice it had been notified that the site on the edge of the Downs was on the market.
Robin Hambleton, a spokesperson for the group, said: “Ever since the previous plans for a ludicrously sized luxury retirement complex were unanimously thrown out by the council, the community has been waiting to find what happens next for this precious site.
“Now it’s been declared as an Asset of Community Value, we hope that anyone interested in the former school, puts the local community and the site’s SEND legacy at the heart of any plans.
“We are concerned the site is not currently being looked after as it should be – the once-beautiful gardens are now severely overgrown with buildings covered in ivy. We really want this unique asset to be brought back to life for the community.”
“We are looking forward to seeing who is interested in buying the site and hope to work with them so they can bring tangible benefits, honour the site’s SEND legacy, respect the environment and not undermine the existing local infrastructure.”
St Christopher’s closed as a SEND school in 2020. The following year, it was bought by a group of international investors who came up with plans to build multi-storey retirement blocks alongside the Grade II listed Grace House and five Victorian villas.
The company set up to develop the site, St Christopher’s PropCo, went into administration in October and it is understood the receivers have put the site up for sale.
Community groups have until January 9 to decide whether to put in a bid for the site and then they and any other potential developers have six months to prepare their bids.
Westbury Park Community Association, which also opposed the redevelopment, is watching the situation with interest.