Housing plans welcomed for ‘eyesore’ former primary school site

Work to transform an “eyesore” former primary school site into a housing scheme has started.

Derby-based Hodgkinson Builders is building 20 houses on the site of the former Florence County Primary School, in Dresden, Stoke-on-Trent.

The development will comprise 11 three-bed and nine two-bed homes in four blocks and is being delivered in conjunction with Staffordshire Housing Association, which will sell or rent out the properties.

Hodgkinson Builders is currently clearing the ground and it is hoped that the homes will be ready in late autumn.

City of Stoke-on-Trent Council granted planning permission for the scheme, at the junction of St Clair Street and Lilleshall Street, in November.

The former school was vacated around 15 years ago and, having been blighted by unauthorised access and vandalism, was demolished over five years ago.

The site has since remained vacant and derelict.

According to a report to the city council, the site has been affected by anti-social behaviour, including fly-tipping, and “in its current state the site is a significant detractor to local residential amenity”.

Also in the council report, a response to the application was given by Staffordshire Police.

A police spokesman said: “Stafford Police welcome the redevelopment of another derelict brownfield site which has become an eyesore and fly-tipping location.”

Marshall Fear, head of enterprise and growth at Staffordshire Housing Association, said: “We are very pleased to be working alongside Hodgkinson Builders to develop much needed affordable housing on the former Florence Primary school site which closed more than 15 years ago with the land becoming an eyesore since it was left abandoned in 2002. This scheme will help give the area a long awaited and much needed lift.

“Staffordshire Housing remain committed to delivering developments on the more difficult to deliver brownfield sites across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.”

Cllr Lilian Dodd, Lord Mayor of Stoke and councillor for the Dresden and Florence ward,  welcomed the news, having campaigned for 10 years to get the site cleared.

She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon that it’s actually happening, at long last.”