Developer Bildurn pledges greater amount of green space in proposals to re-develop former Lilley and Stone School site on London Road, Newark, but will it be enough to satisfy campaign group Lilley & Stone Site in Peril Community Organisation (LASSIPCO)?

Significant changes to highly controversial proposals for a former Newark school site have been made in the hope of appeasing the community.

Nottingham-based developer Bildurn says the changes to plans for the former Lilley and Stone School at London Road, Newark, have come about because it is listening to people.

The Advertiser met with developer to hear of the progress in securing the site, described as Newark’s most dangerous playground, and in making the listed buildings weather-proof.

There have been arson attacks, thefts, cable-stripping, anti-social behaviour, Traveller incursions and wanton destruction of the once proud institution. Buildings, some of them listed for protection, have now been securely boarded up, CCTV has been added and there are regular security patrols of the site, including with dogs.

Bildurn says it has cleared rubble, strimmed away years of vegetation and made the roof of Shalem Lodge, one of two listed buildings fronting London Road weather-proof at great expense, with the main school building to follow early this month.

Bildurn admits that with the urban nature of the site, previous ease of access to all-comers, and the strength of local feeling for the buildings and grounds to be in community usage, Lilley and Stone ranks among the most challenging projects it has undertaken.

A first set of proposals that would have seen listed buildings become new employment space, providing opportunities for co-working, and a smaller green space offering have been somewhat dispensed with with the firm saying it is working with stake-holders and local residents to provide workable yet financially-viable solutions.

Director Sean Akins claimed most people in the immediate vicinity are growing more content with what is being proposed instead, with a recognition that without development, a fallow site that cannot be protected indefinitely will mean that past troubles return.

Mr Akins maintains the only way to make a scheme viable is to build new homes on the school grounds, but has now opted for a much larger green space, some 5,000sqm of the ten-acre site.

It is hoped this will appease campaign group Lilley & Stone Site in Peril Community Organisation (LASSIPCO).

“The site is now about as secure as it can be,” said Mr Akins.

“Now it is about securing its sustainable long term future.

“We will also provide a green corridor linking the site with park the other side of London Road [Beaumond Gardens].

Around 100 new-build houses are still proposed, but Mr Akins said they would be low-density in terms of planning guidelines.

Under the revised proposals, Shalem Lodge and the main school buildings will become one or two-bed apartments rather than business use.

Mr Akins said discussions with the district council, neighbours, Newark Tennis Club and Newark Business Club, had helped shape the new proposals.

“Generally speaking, the response has been good,” said David Bowden, his agent.

“There is a level of understanding that to keep the anti-social behaviour away, new-build development is required. No developer could see a return from just renovating the listed buildings and giving the rest away.”

Bildurn anticipates that it could be ready to submit a planning application in the final quarter of this year. It could be six to 12 months to obtain approval, another six months for site investigations and evaluations, provision of infrastructure and utilities, before the real work begins.

Bidurn would be looking to completion for the entire development of three years after that with the listed building refurbishments happening first.

More modern buildings would be demolished.

“We believe this is the best solution,” said Mr Akins.

“We understand that people are concerned about change, but this has been a vacant site for far too long. It has also been private land rather than public and what we are offering with our green space proposal is public access. Without the proposals as they now stand, the site’s future is uncertain and not financially viable.”

Bildurn now own the Lilley and Stone site but the former school’s board of trustees retain a financial interest in it, meaning that the redevelopment will still result in profits being re-invested in education in the community.