THE trustees of Burgate School and Sixth Form in Fordingbridge are seeking approval from the Department of Education to sell part of its land.

The decision to move forward with the plans comes after a six-week public consultation was launched earlier in the year about the proposals to sell about 1.5 acres of land, which would raise funds for sports facilities at the school.

A statement on the school’s website said: “Following the review of the consultation responses and taking into account all of the responses received, the full board moved to vote on a proposal to proceed and seek approval from the Education and Skills Funding Agency for the sale of land. The proposal was seconded and voted through. The school will now take the next step in the procedure by seeking approval from the Department of Education to proceed with the sale.”

Metis Homes Limited, who has acquired the Burgate Acres land bordering the school site, has expressed an interest in acquiring a parcel of the school’s land.

The consultation document said the land proposed for sale was “under-used” and the school would still have “significantly more” playing field area than required if the sale was to proceed.

Respondents raised concerns over the environmental impact but trustees said due to the “generality” of some comments it was “not always clear” whether the responses were against the specifics of selling the school land or the whole issue of local housing developments.

The trustees previously stated in the consultation document that it “felt strongly” that the land should be “preserved as natural green space” and a condition of sale would be the allocation of the area as alternative natural recreational green space, subject to planning. They also said a condition of any sale should be “improvement of access arrangements at the front of the school”.

There was support for the proposals in terms of improvements of access arrangements at the front of the school; the allocation of the area as alternative natural recreational green space, subject to planning approval; and the benefits with the investment in sports facilities.

The statement on the school’s website also said: “Ultimately, the board, whilst sympathetic to the views expressed in the consultation responses that related to concerns over the environment, agreed the board’s first responsibility was to the school and the students’ best interests.

“Balanced against what could be achieved from the proceeds of the sale together with the improvements that would be made to access arrangements thus safeguarding student safety, alongside potential opportunities for increased numbers of students to be able to walk or cycle to school, the Board agreed the environmental concerns raised in some of the responses received were not of sufficient character to change the Board’s view and halt proceeding with the proposed sale.”