MORE than 90 new homes could be built on a former school site in Swanage.

A planning application has been submitted to Dorset Council by Chapman Lily Planning Ltd on behalf of Harrow House International College (Swanage) Ltd to develop land at Harrow House, in Harrow Drive.

The scheme would see 93 properties built on the 1.6-hectare site, including 14 apartments within the former main school building.

“The land was previously occupied by the Harrow House International School, which was founded in 1969 and provided educational courses for international students on a residential basis,” the application said.

“The school has since closed and the land is now owned by Westcoast Developments.”

Harrow House International College closed in 2020. Picture: ACG Architects/Dorset Council

It said since 2021, the plans had been developed in consultation with planners and the public, through consultations, resulting in the final submission.

“The proposals now put forward include new dwellings of a mixture of types as well as the refurbishment and conversion of the main original school building which has been identified as a landmark building and non-designated heritage asset,” the application went on.

“The proposals are for a total of 93 dwellings on the site, including 14 apartments within the conversion of the main school building.

“The remaining 79 new homes include 38 apartments of 1-3 beds, split between three blocks, with the remainder of dwellings being 2-4 bed houses.

“These are formed into a mix of terraces, semi-detached and link-detached homes. The overall density of the proposed masterplan is therefore 58 dwellings per hectare.”

A total of 93 new homes would be created if the plans are approved. Picture: ACG Architects/Dorset Council

Almost 10% of the new properties would be classed as ‘affordable’ ‘first homes’, it added.

The main access to the development would be from Walrond Road, the plans said, with a total of 142 parking spaces on the site.

Each property would have a private garden, the application said, while around 0.3 hectares of public open spaces would also be created.

“This space has been consolidated around the centre and west of the site, where it benefits from the particularly unique views of the Purbeck valley beyond, as well as significantly enhancing the setting of the existing landmark schoolhouse building,” it added.

For more details, and to comment on the scheme, log on to dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and search for application reference P/OUT/2024/03253.

An illustration of how the street scene could look. Picture: ACG Architects/Dorset Council

The former school site has been empty since it closed in 2020. Picture: ACG Architects/Dorset Council