Playing Field Disposal at former Hethersett Woodside Infant & Nursery School Site - Section 77 Consultation

Overview

Norfolk County Council wishes to dispose of the school playing fields at the former Hethersett Woodside Infant and Nursery School, Firs Road, Hethersett, Norfolk NR9 3EQ. The former school site has an overall area of some 0.78 hectares of which 0.53 hectares are classed as playing field land.  

Hethersett Woodside Infant & Nursery School has relocated to Coachmaker Way, Hethersett, Norfolk NR9 3JL and is now called Hethersett Woodside Primary & Nursery School.

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

Our Proposal

Norfolk County Council would seek to sell the former playing fields to develop affordable housing for people with a care and support need to help independent living in the local community. For further information please refer to the Consultation Document below.

There is need in Norfolk for specialist housing for local people with care and support needs to continue living in their own home as part of the community.  Subject to development viability and changing need profiles, the actual requirement identified for this site could range from a scheme of apartments to support independent living for older people or more specific housing for adults with disabilities.   Importantly, it would be affordable housing and would prioritise local residents, allowing people to continue to live near their family and friends.

If this scheme does not come forward, the land will be disposed of via the open market.  However, we are confident that a scheme will come forward as our priority is for the land to be developed for independent living for local people with care and support needs. 

Any scheme proposal would be subject to a full planning submission to South Norfolk Council.  As part of this process, it is expected there would be pre-planning consultations with the local community.

Whilst Norfolk County Council is keen to ensure a new scheme progresses as quickly as possible, timescales are dependent on scheme feasibility, tenders for the initial proposals, pre-planning work and formal planning submissions.  Once land is declared surplus, it is hoped to progress discussions with potential providers about the scheme.

There is a separate process to dispose of the school building with the Secretary of State, which is not part of this consultation.   It is proposed that the scheme outlined for the former playing fields would also include the school building land.  

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.