A historic school building is set to go under the hammer nearly five years after being damaged in a fire. Carclaze Infant School, in St Austell, was hit by a devastating blaze in 2020.
Much of the building’s historic façade was damaged and earlier this year Cornwall Council submitted a pre-application to its own planning department seeking advice to create eight open market residential flats.
The blaze and subsequent possibility of losing the building’s character to a modern development caused a huge upset in the community. A Facebook page was set up in an attempt to ‘save’ the historic school which closed in 2010.
Now the site is set to go to auction in 2025. Clive Emson Auctioneers described it as: “Comprising a fire-damaged building and significant area of hardstanding, the site was previously utilised as an infant school. Any future use would be subject to all necessary consents being obtainable.”
The listing details how a proposal was submitted in February 2024 to keep the remaining facade and create eight open-market residential flats.
“On the top playground, it is intended to provide four further residential flats that propose to be affordable. Each flat will have access to one allocated parking space and there will be additional visitor spaces.”
The sale is subject to a covenant relating to the retention of the building façade. Potential buyers are not able to view the property internally due to its condition.
The former school has an auction guide price of £50,000 to £70,000. For more information, visit the website.
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