More than 35 affordable houses could be among 74 built on the site of a former Isle of Wight middle school, subject to planning permission.
The Isle of Wight council is due to decide whether or not to sell what used to be Sandown’s Sandham Middle School to developer, National Pride.
Reinvested in sport or education facilities
Money from the sale would be reinvested in sport or education facilities – projects agreed with the Department for Education (DfE) – so the Isle of Wight Council says it is important to accept the highest offer.
The DfE also has to agree to site’s sale, if its future is not for educational purposes.
The highest bidder
National Pride was the highest bidder after a ten-week marketing process, but the Isle of Wight Council has not revealed how much it is selling the site for, because it says the information is commercially sensitive.
County Hall says National Pride is also offering to build more affordable housing than is required by planning policies.
Former school site
Sandham Middle closed in 2011 and its site was used until 2014, by Sandown Bay Academy — which went on to become the nearby The Bay CE School and is now based at two other locations.
Sandham’s buildings were demolished in 2017, because it was considered the safest way to prevent vandalism.
Once the decision to sell is agreed, contracts would be signed, tying the council and developer into an agreement, before formal planning permission is sought for the brownfield site’s future.
Former plans
Previously, the Isle of Wight council had considered turning the site, off Perowne Way, into an extra care housing development for older Islanders.
Additionally those behind The Common Space, spent a great deal of time talking to the council about developing the former school into a cultural hub.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
