Empty Halesowen school site earmarked for housing
A former Halesowen school that has remained empty for almost ten years is to be sold for housing.
Holt Farm Primary School has been the subject of vandalism, fly-tipping and an arson attack in 2014.
Halesowen North councillor Karen Shakespeare revealed this week that a sale has now been agreed.
She said: "There has been a sale agreed and final legal arrangements are now going through.
"We know that the company are planning to put housing on it and have had pre-planning discussions with Dudley Council.
"There could be about 20 to 30 new properties on there.
"The gully, which has been subject to anti-social behaviour, will also go and be given back to the nearby properties.
"This is incredibly positive news as it has been sat in such a sad state and as a magnet for anti-social behaviour for so long."
The Holt Road site was on the market for £1.35 million.
The school was closed in 2006 due to falling birth rates.
Councillor Shakespeare was a pupil at the school herself, with her mother working there for 30 years.
She added: "At the time of the closure I did try to do everything I could to save it but a lot of work was needed to be done to get it up to modern standards.
"Since then there has been an arson attack and lots of vandalism so it has been really sad to just see it left in the state it is."
