Strutts Project Moves Forward
An historic former school is outlined for development under a charitable trust to become a combined community and business centre.
Belper Civic Forum is proposing to take over and maintain the former Herbert Strutt Primary School building, in Derby Road, Belper, and form a new independent charitable development trust to continue to run it.
The trust would run the former school buildings on a non-profit basis to benefit the local community, maintain the buildings for future generations and provide a site for businesses.
Derbyshire County Council was given the buildings by Herbert Strutt in 1909 and used them as a school until February this year when pupils and staff transferred to a new £3.7 million state-of-the-art building off Bargate Road. The terms of the gift were open to interpretation as to whether the county council or Amber Valley Borough Council were the residual trustees after the premises ceased to be used as a school.
Derbyshire County Council has been working in partnership with Amber Valley Borough Council to find potential future uses for the buildings.
A feasibility study, commissioned by the Belper and Milford Townscape Heritage Initiative, earmarked the site for community and business use.
Belper Civic Forum has developed proposals to run the building, under lease from Derbyshire County Council, until they set up the new trust. More detailed plans for the site’s future use as a community and business centre would then be developed.
Councillor John Williams, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “The former Herbert Strutt Primary School site is an historic site which we would like to see preserved and maintained so it continues to serve the people of Belper.
“We have carefully considered the available options with our partners and closely examined the feasibility study and forum’s proposals so we can safeguard the future of the buildings and make sure they continue to have a role in the community.”
Councillor Stuart Bradford, leader of Amber Valley Borough Council, said: “I know the Belper borough councillors wholeheartedly support these proposals, so we will be supporting the recommendations to our council meeting on 5 November, giving officers the authority to execute the legal documents necessary to give effect to these proposals.”
Janet Honey, chair of Belper Civic Forum, said: “This is a really exciting outcome to a lot of work developing our ideas for the future of the building.
“We would like to thank everybody who contributed at our public meetings or signed the petition showing their support for our plans. The school is a much loved and valued listed building and is a wonderful asset for the town and hopefully it is now safe for the next 100 years.”
Details of the lease between Derbyshire County Council and Belper Civic Forum are being finalised and the agreement is expected to be signed shortly.