New school plans - and success in campaign to save Brockeridge School building

For seven years since the merger of Brockeridge Infant School and Highcroft Junior School, Watermore Primary School has been operating across two sites. Now plans have been submitted to build a new 420 place Watermore Primary School on the Meadow site on Lower Stone Close (the old Highcroft Junior School). You can find out more by going to the planning application search page and entering the reference number PT18/0930/R3O.

In the same application they are seeking outline permission to demolish the old junior school buildings and erect 5 new homes on the Meadow site and 22 homes on the Orchard site, including converting the old Brockeridge School building to 6 flats.

Your Focus Team is delighted that the campaign to save this ‘Locally Listed’ school building built in 1846 from demolition looks set for success.

Local History Group Members, Stella and Cllr Andy Beecher, researched the history of the school. They found from records in the archives held in Gloucester that it was founded by members of Zion Congregational Church to enable “poor children from Frampton Cotterell and Coalpit Heath to be educated”. We understand that the cost per pupil was just two old pennies a week!

Generations of local children have been educated at this lovely old landmark building. We know that the school holds precious memories for many local families. Most of them would be horrified if the old building was flattened to make way for new development on the site.

Local Cllrs Dave & Pat Hockey, backed by Frampton Cotterell Parish Council and members of the Local History Group, made their strong views on this  clear to South Glos Council’s Head of Property Services Department. The good news from the Property Services Department is that the £175,000 funding that they were awarded on 16 February is for “Demolition of part of the existing school building (retaining the older part of the school)".