News / St George Primary School
Former primary school buildings for sale for almost £1m
When the new academic year begins in September, one historic Bristol primary school will not be welcoming pupils through its gates for the first time in 174 years.
St George Primary School – believed to be the second oldest primary school in the city – closed in July in order to be amalgamated with St Michael’s on the Mount, with a new school, Willow Park Primary, opening on the current St Michael’s site.
The former school at the foot of Brandon Hill was split into two sites; the main site on Queen’s Parade owned by Bristol City Council and the annexe on York Place owned by the Bristol Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF).
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Before becoming part of the school, the annexe was the church hall for St George’s church on Great George Street, which was deconsecrated in 1984 and is now the St George’s music venue.
The main school building remains empty but the annexe, previously used as a nursery and for early years teaching, is now for sale for £950,000 via Maggs & Allen.
The estate agent advertises a potential development site of 0.14 acres: the single storey hall, a more modern two storey building and a central playground.
The hall in the former annexe was originally the church hall of St George’s the other side of Brandon Hill – photo: Martin Booth
“There is potential for a variety of different uses including residential redevelopment, subject to obtaining the necessary planning consents,” says the Maggs & Allen website.
“Given the residential nature of the surrounding Georgian buildings, we would suggest that a scheme of townhouses and/or apartments may be a suitable alternative use for the site.
“Alternatively, the site and existing buildings would be ideal for those seeking a premises for a continued community use.”
A two-storey building is also part of the annexe site – photo: Martin Booth
In a statement emailed to Bristol24/7, a Diocese of Bristol spokesperson said: “The Annexe site, owned by the DBF, is being returned to the DBF on 31st August now that it is no longer required as school premises by the local authority, and it is now going to be sold…
“When the land of an old school site belonging to the DBF becomes surplus to requirements for educational purposes, it is sold.
“The sale proceeds are either (a) passed to the replacement new school for its capital projects, or (b) used for capital projects to improve the facilities of other CofE Schools in the diocese, or (c) a combination of both.
“In each of these options, the money is used to benefit CofE schools in the Diocese, and that is the only permitted usage of the money.”
This school sign above the annexe site is one of the last reminders that a school stood on Queen’s Parade since 1847 – photo: Martin Booth
According to the Charity Commission, the primary objective of the DBF “is to promote and assist the work and purposes of the Church of England in the Diocese of Bristol”.
In the financial year ending 31 December 31 2020, the DBF had a total income of £13.97m and a total expenditure of £9.56m.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: Saying a sad goodbye to one of Bristol’s oldest schools
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