The land on the edge of Bristol has been mostly unused for a decade
The Grange School closed in 2016 and some of its buildings were gutted by fire in 2021
As many as 160 new homes, more than a third of which will be ‘affordable’ housing, could be built in Warmley on the outskirts of Bristol.
South Gloucestershire Council has granted permission for the homes to be built on the former site of the Grange School, along with a new community sports hub.
The project will now be marketed to builders. SGC is expecting to make a decision on who will perform the construction work by the end of the year, a spokesperson for the authority confirmed.
South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member for corporate resources, Cllr Adam Monk, said: “The development of this site will bring the space back into productive use for the community, helping to deliver not just new homes, but space for local people to enjoy and participate in sports in their area.
“We have worked hard with partners and stakeholders, including Homes England to develop a masterplan for the site that will benefit the whole community.”
An ‘illustrative masterplan’ for the site of the former Grange School(Image: South Gloucestershire Council)
The sports hub will include grass and artificial pitches, netball courts and a clubhouse. The development of the sports facilities will happen at the same time as the new homes are constructed, and they will be available for use by everyone, not just residents of the new houses.
A previous plan for the site included the construction of a new school. This was shelved due to a lack of demand in the area.
The Grange School closed in 2016 after being put into special measures. About half of the former school’s buildings were gutted in an arson attack in 2021.
Fire crews at the former Grange School in Warmley following a fire in 2021(Image: James Beck/ BristolLive)
Cabinet member for planning, regeneration and infrastructure, Cllr Chris Willmore, said: “These new homes and sports facilities will be developed at the same time as a condition of the planning consent we’ve granted. It is a brownfield site, but more than half of it will be given over to the sports hub. It means that new residents, existing clubs and groups and the wider community will all benefit.
“More Affordable Homes is what we know our younger generations need to have the option to live locally, and we are committed to making sure that where development happens it will bring community benefits for years to come.”
The land is a more than 12-hectare brownfield site owned by the council, which has received enabling funding from government agency Homes England to prepare it for development.