Historic former Dudley school to get new lease of life
A historic former school site in Dudley could be given a new lease of life and transformed into apartments – after it was sold at auction for more than £400,000.
Sir Gilbert Claughton School, in Blowers Green Road, has previously received planning permission to be converted into apartments.
The site was sold for £405,000 at SDL Auctions Bigwood at Villa Park earlier this month – despite having a guide price of £200,000.
The building, which closed as a school in 1990, has most recently been used as offices, It is now known as the Claughton Centre.
Last year, Dudley Council's planning committee gave the thumbs up for 63 homes to replace the old offices, when the building was finally demolished. Plans were also put forward in 2016 for the Claughton Centre to be flattened for a housing development, but they were rejected because of the site’s historical interest.
But now there is permission for 21 apartments on the site.
The news that the site has been sold has been welcomed by St Thomas’s ward Councillor Shaukat Ali.
He said: “It is good news that the building has been sold. It has some listed features and I hope part of the apartments will be preserved. More accommodation is needed in the area and I hope it is affordable so people in the area can make use of it.
“The building has stood empty for some time so something needs to be done about it to bring it back into use.”
“It is good news – the sale will preserved the building and its historic features and brings it back into use as accommodation.”
Auctioneer Rory Daly had described the Claughton Centre site as “the perfect auction property".
He added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to do something special and leave a lasting legacy for the area. I look forward to seeing how the site is developed.”
The school was originally called the Dudley Upper Standards School when it opened in 1904, undergoing several name changes over the years before being named becoming the Sir Gilbert Claughton School in 1957, the title honouring a late 19th century mayor of Dudley. It closed following a merger with another school to create Castle High.
Dudley Council then moved into the site but it has not been used by the authority for a number of years.
