Pembrokeshire County Council will be disposing of the old Primary School site at the full market value when it becomes empty.

Both Narberth Town Council and the Narberth Future Forum have formally lodged an interest in the disposal of the school, and will be kept informed as to other possible developments.

The Narberth Future Forum has decided to deal with the problem in two parts; the school buildings and the playground area.

The School Buildings

The Future Forum have considered the following possible options for developing the property, which included:

• COMMUNITY
  • move the Library, Information centre and heritage centre with the museum
• SOCIAL-VOLUNTARY
  • re-house the scouts, guides and the Bus Stop drop-in centre
• PUBLIC
  • affordable and disabled housing, training development, social enterprise
• BUSINESS
  • shop and retail development, IT workshop, training, office space, service office
• And-or a mixed use of the above

The idea that any commercial income from the units could go to support other community projects found favour and will be included within the business plan which will be drawn up looking at retail and commercial units as a viable reuse of the old building, as well as redeveloping the 1970s school site. But most importantly, not including the playground.

The Playground

The Forum has uncovered an useful initial document trail from 1902 to the present.

• The 1902 Conveyance shows that The “Town Moor” was sold to the Narberth Urban District Council for £10 by the de Rutzens. These documents do not show the school as part of the deal.
• The 1972 conveyance shows the “playground” area being sold by Narberth UDC to PCC for £480 with the clause “for educational purposes”

Further investigations will be made into the Community use of the playground over the years since 1972. Evidence (photographs etc), will be needed of this use, for example, for children’s, food and flower festivals, or access allowing children to play out of school hours.

The prime objective remains the preservation of the ‘playground’ as an OPEN SPACE for the future use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of Narberth.

The Narberth Future Forum would now like you to suggest what you think would be the best possible use for the Old School site.