The future of a long-vacant Grade II listed school building in Lambeth has moved a step closer to redevelopment, with council-appointed property consultants preparing to begin discussions with potential buyers.
Representatives of the community-led campaign to save the former Charles Edward Brooke School in Myatt’s Fields have met with council officers and property consultants Rapleys, who are advising on the planned disposal of the Grade II-listed site.
Stop the Rot, the campaign group, have been told that Rapleys will shortly begin a “soft marketing” exercise to gauge interest from organisations and developers that may be capable of restoring and reusing the historic building.
Jack Lahiff, a local resident, said: “We need to break the inertia on this site, it’s a beautiful building just wasting away.”
The exercise is intended to test what long-term uses may be viable for the landmark site, which dates back to 1898 and has suffered years of deterioration – any future owner will need to demonstrate to the council that proposals for the building are both practical and financially sustainable.
Rapleys is expected to compile its findings into a report for Lambeth Council, with recommendations ultimately going before newly elected councillors and cabinet members.
The Green Party administration in Lambeth has appointed an accountable cabinet member for the disposal and dedicated resources to progress the sale and future use.
A decision on whether to proceed with a formal sales process will then be taken.
Stop the Rot have warned that a conventional land sale could leave residents with limited influence over the ultimate use of the site and the social value it delivers to the community.
The formal disposal process is expected to take around six months.
Lahiff added: “To my mind, the priority above all else must be the immediate preservation of the building – everything else is secondary.”
Campaigners believe detailed decisions about the building’s future are unlikely to emerge before 2027, when planning applications and heritage considerations begin to shape redevelopment proposals.
The former school was added to Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register in 2016 and was elevated to the highest category of risk in 2023.
Stop the Rot are now urging residents to engage with local councillors as the process moves forward.
They are calling on councillors to ensure the sale is transparent, evidence-based and considers social value alongside financial returns.
The group says it will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as decisions on the future of the site progress.
Featured image credit: Barty Roberts
Join the discussion