Bid to use former school for community after home plan

The sound of children's laughter may have disappeared from the site of a Mendip school, but could it be put to public use again?

Binegar Primary School in Station Road officially closed on December 31 after 149 years.

Although there were just a handful of children on the school roll when a decision was made to close it down, the news was greeted with sadness in the local community.

Now agents have been appointed to try to find alternative uses.

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And they have revealed that in the past drawings had been prepared to convert the Victorian building into a substantial country home.

However the proposal had never been taken to the planning stage and site owner Somerset County Council has high hopes of it becoming a community building.

Agents Colliers International office in Bristol is circulating details of the school across the country seeking proposals for the 19th century building, set in just over a quarter of an acre of land.

They are working alongside well-known mid-Somerset estate agents Cooper & Tanner to come up with the best future for the school.

Christopher Dawson of Colliers International said: "At the moment the building is a classroom and ancillary accommodation all set in grounds that are basically the old school playground.

"It is a typical Mendip school building and Somerset County Council would ideally like to see it used for community use of some kind.

"In the past drawings were prepared for it to be converted into a substantial four or five-bedroom house but these have not been followed through to planning.

"It is important that buildings like this have a secure future so we are making efforts throughout the UK to see if there is someone who wants to use it for community use.

"We will then be able to see what the realistic options for the future use are."

What would you like to see Binegar Primary School site become? The editor is always keen to hear your views. Write to The Editor, Wells Journal, Southover, Wells BA5 1UH, or e-mail editor@mid somnews.co.uk.