THE first stages of a proposed 90-home application have been submitted for a former Swanage school site.

It will involve, if approved, the demolition of all the buildings on the existing Harrow House School site in Harrow Drive.

Dorset Council has been asked to consider an environmental impact assessment of the suitability of the land by March 23 one of the first stages of the planning process.

The application from West Coast Developments says that the developers hope to build 41 homes, in a range of sizes, and 52 apartments across four blocks. The developers say they will provide affordable homes on the site “subject to viability”.

The school, to the north of the main town centre,  was founded in 1969 to provide residential educational courses for international students but closed in 2021.

To the west of the site is a large area of allotments and to the east Purbeck View School, a residential facility for students aged 7-19 with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and associated challenges.

The Harrow House site, on high ground, lies within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Access is along Harrow Drive and is within the accepted development boundary for the town.

The developers say the proposed four blocks of flats will be positioned to take advantage of coastal views to the east.

A public exhibition was held on December 17 at The Mowlem Theatre and was attended by around a hundred people with mixed feedback on the suggested proposals.

Further details can be seen on the Dorset Council website – reference 2022/01367.