Former school could net Shropshire Council more than £1m

A disused village primary school will be sold off for a potential seven-figure sum by Shropshire Council, it was revealed today.

Oakland School in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, shut its doors in 2009 after it was amalgamated with the village's Longmeadow Primary School.

It is now due to be sold off later this year by Shropshire Council as part of the authority's efforts to raise cash by getting rid of some property and land assets. Shirehall officials hope to raise more than £1 million by selling the site.

Clive Wright, area director for Shropshire Council, said it was hoped some of the site could be retained for 'community use'.

And he added it was hoped a public event would be held in the near future where villagers would be given the chance to have their say on what is done with the former primary school.

A public consultation event is scheduled to take place on September 18 at Oakmeadow Primary School, which is the new amalgamated primary school.

It follows complaints by local residents they were not being kept up-to-date with the plans for the site after Shropshire Council officials visited a recent Bayston Hill Parish Council meeting.

Former parish councillor Helen Hall claimed the reason for their talk at the meeting on July 16 was not properly advertised by the parish council, meaning residents did not get the chance to have a full say on the plans.

"I hope the council will be calling a public meeting to dispose to invite residents to put forward their views concerning the disposal of the site," she said.

"But the clock is ticking – the consultant employed by Shropshire Council to dispose of this asset is under pressure to deliver the sale in this financial year."