Grammar site should be used ‘for anything but housing’

Education president Matt Fallaize last week confirmed that the committee were focusing on the Les Beaucamps and St Sampson’s sites for the new two-school model.

The future of the Grammar School site at Les Varendes is not clear yet, but Deputy Fallaize has said it would be unlikely it was needed by Education and could be handed back to States Property Services.

People living in the area said they would be disappointed to see the school close.

Barbara Powell has lived beside the school site since 1973 and can remember when it was fields used for cattle grazing. Her front room window overlooks the playing fields.

‘I don’t think they have thought this decision through,’ she said.

‘It has worked well as a school and they have looked after the site well.’

She was concerned that the site used to be marshland and the school was actually built on a float, which meant it would limit what could be built on the site.

‘I wouldn’t want it to be houses,’ she said.

Dale Martin has lived close to the site for five years.

‘I think it should be a community facility, rather than housing,’ he said.

‘It already has the facilities and it is quite central.’

He added that the playing fields were an important open space.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, has lived nearby for 40 years.

‘We really want it to stay at a school,’ he said.

‘We lived here before it was a school and we were nervous about it coming here and we were worried there would be problems. But it’s been fine and it’s a good use for the site. We have never had any problems. We would be concerned if it was used for social housing. Maybe it would be a good community hall.’

Housing was also a concern for another neighbour, who had lived nearby for 20 years.

‘There would be such traffic on the roads and it could not cope with up to 300-odd housing in the area.’ she said.

‘I would like to see it as a healthcare facility. It’s a big site, it has parking and there is enough for day patients.’