PROPOSALS to convert a former Newton Abbot school into a housing development have been submitted to Teignbridge Council .

A developer is bidding to turn the former Bishop Dunstan school site into homes along with open space, children’s play area and refurbishment of the existing tennis courts.

The site at South Road was previously home to Wolborough Hill preparatory school until the mid 1990s when it then became Bishop Dunstan School for children with special needs.

But it has been vacant for the last three years.

Now Landford Ltd is hoping to transform the 2.9 hectare site into high quality housing with a total of 26 new properties.

The proposal is to converting and adapting the former school house into four properties and convert the coach house into into a three bedroom home.

The former classroom block is to be demolished and replaced with a pair of four bedroom houses.

A further 20 new homes will be built on open land to the north of the existing development to include six three-bedroom, ten four-bedroom and four five-bedroom houses.

Former classrooms and a sports hall will be demolished.

Tennis courts will be refurbished and brought back into public use.

There will also be a children’s play area, public open space, footpaths and cyclepaths.

In a statement to planners, the developer says: ‘The primary key feature of the proposed development to note is the proposed public space accounts for approximately 45 per cent of the total area of the land, demonstrating the low density character of the development.

‘The scheme will bring forward under-utilised urban land and may be regarded as an important ‘windfall’ opportunity that will assist in meeting the overall needs for new housing in the local area.

‘There is no realistic prospect, other than compulsory purchase, that the land will be brought back into active recreational use for the public benefit while it remains in educational use.

‘In short, land that provide no benefits whatsoever in respect of public recreational use will enable, by virtue of the residential development of the land to provide facilities of long term benefit to existing and future residents of the area.’

A community consultation event was held in September and attended by about 70 people, with the general feedback supporting the proposals although concerns were raised about traffic generation, parking and access for construction traffic.

The developer says: ‘Use of the site for residential purposes is the most appropriate form of alternative land use.

‘The development will be a credit to this prestigious location and will provide facilities for the long-term benefit of both existing and future users.’

A decision is expected in early January.