Playing Fields at Former Fakenham 6th Form site - Section 77 consultation

Overview

Norfolk County Council wishes to dispose of some 2.15 hectares of land at the former Fakenham Academy 6^th Form Site, Wells Road, Fakenham, NR21 9HP. The land comprises of mixed landscaped and historic hard play areas in the vicinity of the former school buildings.

The sixth form has moved into new purpose-built premises on the main Fakenham Academy site and returned the former sixth form site to Norfolk County Council.  Some of the site has been redeveloped to provide a new school to serve children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  This will be known as the Duke of Lancaster School.  The County Council has no current operational use for the remainder of the site and it has been formally declared surplus to the Council’s requirements.  The Council proposes to dispose of the surplus part of the former sixth form site.

In order to dispose of this playing field it will be necessary for Norfolk County Council to apply for written consent from the Secretary of State. It is only at that point that we will be able to dispose of this land.

We are consulting all interested parties on this proposed disposal and are interested to receive your comments. 

Should approval be given, Norfolk County Council has set out proposals for each section of the former playing fields.  Full details of these proposals can be found in the consultation document at the bottom of this page.

Please remember that this disposal is specifically about the proposed loss of school sports facilities.

The purpose of this consultation is to find out how the proposed loss of school playing field affects you or the organisation that you represent.  It is not about any potential future development of the land.  There will be an opportunity to give your views on any future development at the relevant time through the planning process.

It is important to note;

- the land has not been used for schools sport provision for a number of years

- the former sixth form has been relocated to the main Fakenham Academy site and enjoys sports facilities at that location

- the new Duke of Lancaster School which occupies most of the former playing fields, has its own dedicated sports provision.

What happens next

Norfolk County Council will look at all the responses and produce a report on the consultation for the Secretary of State for Education, who makes the final decision about this proposal.