§ 48. Mr. Bryan Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in disposing of surplus teacher training college premises.
§ Mr. OakesThese premises are owned either by local education authorities or by voluntary organisations which are therefore responsible for their disposal. Such property transactions can take a long time to complete and involve questions of commercial confidence. Many of the buildings will not become available until the training of present students ends in the next few years.
I hope that wherever possible an educational use will be found for the surplus buildings, but I recognise that in some cases the location and nature of the property makes this difficult. The following is a list of those cases where I understand that alternative uses are firmly in prospect. Negotiations are will-advanced in a number of other cases. I am pleased to see the high proportion of buildings which are expected to be used for other educational purposes.
LAST INTAKE 1974
Alnwick, Northumberland
The Northumberland Education Authority are adapting part of the premises to assist with secondary school reorganisation.
Mary Ward, Nottingham
To be acquired by the Institute of Geological Sciences for use as its main centre in England.
Radbrook, Shrewsbury
To be used by the Shrewsbury Technical College.
Saffron Walden
Leased to the Bell Educational Trust who are interested in establishing an English language school for foreign students.
LAST INTAKE 1975
Coloma College, West Wickham
To be adapted for use as a Roman Catholic comprehensive school.
Endsleigh, Kingston-upon-Hull
To be acquired for the Hull College of Higher Education.
Hereford
The premises are being acquired to re-house the Royal National College for the Blind.
Kesteven, Grantham
The NUT are acquiring the leasehold premises for a staff training and conference centre.
216WPhilippa Fawcett and Furzedown, London
The Furzedown premises are in use for a comprehensive school.
Putteridge Bury (Luton College of Higher Education), Luton
To be used for other educational purposes.
Saram St. Michael, Salisbury
Part of the premises sold for use as a hostel for nurses.
Sittingbourne
Likely to be used by the Kent Education Authority as an in-service training centre.
Wentworth Castle, Barnsley
To be used as a residential Adult Education Centre.
LAST INTAKE 1976
Culham, Abingdon
To be acquired for a European School in connection with the Joint European Torus (JET) project.
LAST INTAKE 1977
Newland Park (Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education), Chalfont St. Giles
Spare capacity to be used for other higher or further education.
Preston Polytechnic
Spare capacity to be used for other Polytechnic purposes wherever possible, including in-service training.
ANNEXES
Camborne (St. Mark and St. John) Annexe
To be used for in-service training as an outpost of the College of St. Mark and St. John.
Crawley (West Sussex Institute) Annexe
To be made available for the purposes of the Institute.
Guildford (Kingston Polytechnic) Annexe
The lease of the premises expires in July 1978 and will not be renewed.
Peterborough (Kesteven) Annexe
To be used for in-service training as an outpost of Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln.
SUMMARY
To be used for educational purposes 14 colleges or annexes 2 parts of college premises Sold for other purposes 2 colleges 1 part of college premises Surrendered 1 annexe 20