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HISTORY + BACKGROUNDThe school was built 1907–09, commissioned by George Herbert Strutt and designed by local architects, Hunter and Woodhouse. It is an historic building listed Grade 2. On completion the building was a given by George Herbert Strutt to the County Council for use as a Higher Grade Elementary School and Pupil Teacher Centre. George Herbert Strutt is a direct descendent of the 18c industrialist who developed the cotton industry in Belper. In 1927 a further plot of land (the present car park and rear gardens) was sold by Strutt to the County Council, together with the playing fields presently used by the Belper Rugby Club. Later the school became a Grammar School, then a Middle School in 1973 and a Primary School in 1986 The County Council have now built a new primary school off Bargate Road and the school has moved there. When it was not needed as a school, the original 1909 Strutt conveyance said what should happen: "...the said hereitaments and premises hereby conveyed shall be held IN TRUST for and be conveyed and assured to the Belper Urban District Council or its successors in fee simple for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the township of Belper aforesaid in such manner as the said Urban District Council or its successors shall from time to time determine...." Amber Valley Borough Council is the successor to Belper Urban District Council | |||||||
| 2 | WHAT HAS HAPPENED RECENTLYAmber Valley Borough Council agreed the following at a full council meeting on 31 October 2007, after representations from the Belper Civic Forum: RESOLVED1 That the Council approves in principle the joint disposal of the Herbert Strutt School by the Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council on the open market for conversion to primarily residential use: - a) Without prejudice to the Council‘s rights under the 1909 Conveyance in the event that the disposal does not proceed; and b) Subject to: - (i) the County Council‘s agreement; (ii) the grant of planning permission and listed building consent for the said conversion and use; (iii) such consent of the Charity Commission for the disposal and the scheme for the use of the proceeds as may be necessary; and (iv) a scheme for the investment of any proceeds from the disposal in the Herbert Strutt Charity in accordance with its charitable objectives. 2 That Officers be authorised to commission a Feasibility Study on the potential for the conversion of the school primarily for residential purposes, as outlined in the report, and for commercial and community uses and such other uses as submitted by the Belper Civic Forum. REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS1 For the Borough Council and the County Council to co-operate in finding a practical solution which gives effect to the intentions of the 1909 Conveyance for the benefit of the people of Belper without imposing a liability on the Council taxpayer. The Herbert Strutt Charity Trust was established in 1986 and is administered jointly by Amber Valley Borough Council and Belper Town Council. The fund is mostly made up of the net sale proceeds from Gibfield Lane Baths and other minor sales. The Charity awards Funds for charitable purposes to benefit residents of the area served by Belper Town Council (which includes Milford). In December 2006 at the first open meeting of the Belper Civic Forum the future of this building came out on top of the list of people‘s concerns. Last autumn more than 250 people visited on two ‘open days’ (only 4 hours in total) organised by the Civic Forum. We asked people what they wanted to see happen to the building. They said: The vast majority wished the building to be converted to community use. Most wished for it be a library and adult community education centre. Other uses suggested were community meeting rooms, conference centre, performing arts venue, business start up centre, archive for Belper artefacts and photos and partly converted to apartments to help pay for the community uses.. A considerable number of people expressed concern over the future of the Honour Boards and other items of interest eg the bust of Herbert Strutt etc. AVBC have now commissioned a feasibility study which will prepare for a coordinated approach to the future use of the site. The study is to be completed by the end of March. | |||||||
| 3 | THE FUTUREIn response to what people were telling us we started to look at how public access to this important building can be retained. We are currently looking at: 1. Involvement with AVBC‘s commissioned feasibility study 2. The Civic Forum acquiring suitable legal status to be able to take on and manage the building as a community asset. This kind of community enterprise is central to the government‘s current approach to providing public facilities locally that are self-sustaining. All sorts of different ways of doing this have been developed elsewhere so we will not be out on a limb. The point is that the value of the building would remain an asset to the town, not just the interest on the capital. A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally re-invested in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. There is substantial and proven demand for community facilities in Belper. It is very difficult to find available meeting rooms, and there has long been a search for a performance venue in Belper. Belper is central to the World Heritage Site and is well served by public transport. For community uses to be viable, some way of paying for the upkeep and maintenance of the building must be found, thus ‘commercial’ uses need to be included to subsidise the community elements. A sub-group of the Civic Forum has been set up which could:
The building lends itself much better to community, office, conference and workshop use than to residential conversion which would undoubtedly involve sub-dividing the building and space internally in a manner which would harm the historic layout and detail which is so remarkably intact. Two voluntary organizations have already expressed an interest in using some of the building for offices Contact Belper Civic Forum for more information or to become involved. www.belpercivicforum.org or phone 0845 3492 369. | |||||||
