Homes plan for former school damaged by fires

LA Architects Ltd has now been appointed to apply for permission to convert and extend the school to provide eight homes

A former primary school that was damaged by two fires could be turned into homes under new plans.

Cornwall Council has received a planning application to convert the former Carclaze Infants School in St Austell into eight homes, despite previous attempts to retain it for community use.

The school, which closed in 2010 after a new one opened nearby, was damaged by two suspected arson attacks in August 2015 and July 2020.

LA Architects Ltd has now been appointed by applicant Ross Morcom to apply for permission to convert and extend the school after it was sold for £262,000 at auction earlier this year.

The building was much-loved by local residents, some of whom formed a pressure group to try and ensure its survival, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

A supporting statement for the planning application said Cornwall Council had failed to secure an interested party, following an extensive search for a community use, largely due to the costs involved in the renovation works.

"A local housing association was approached with ALA Architects Ltd being appointed to prepare proposals on their behalf and that application was close to being submitted to Cornwall Council when a fire destroyed a large section of the roof and internal linings of some of the building," it said.

Due to the fire it was necessary for a few areas to be demolished due to instability and the project stalled, it continued.

The architects' report said: "While it is appreciated that the residents of Carclaze would like to see this building used for community purposes, the amount of work required to repair and renovate this building is beyond what is viable."

The new proposals are for a mix of two and three-bedroom houses, and the plan would be to retain as much of the original school as possible and replace the roof.