Former girls' school site could become rural skills campus

Bruton School for Girls, located on the A359 Sunny Hill provided independent education to girls between the ages of two and 18 between 1900 and its closure in 2022 following a fall in pupil numbers.

Councillor Lucy Trimnell, one of two Conservative councillors for Wincanton and Bruton, has been pushing for the site to be redeveloped, backing a proposal by the Sunny Hill for Good community interest company (CIC).

Somerset Council said falling pupil numbers within the Bruton area meant that there was "no strategic need" for a new school in this location.

Ms Trimnell raised the matter in a question to the council's executive committee before its most recent meeting in Taunton on September 2.

Conservative Councillors Tom Power (Wincanton and Bruton) and Diogo Rodrigues (Bridgwater East and Bawdrip) (Image: Somerset Council)

Councillor Tom Power (the other Wincanton and Bruton division member) spoke on her behalf, owing to Ms Trimnell recovering from a recent surgery.

He said: "In the four years since the school closed, this prominent 34-acre site has suffered extensive vandalism, theft and deterioration, including an attempted arson attack.

"Its continuing decline is a serious concern, but it also presents Somerset with a significant opportunity.

"Sunny Hill For Good CIC - co-founded by Jonathan Duffy, chairman of Pitcombe Parish Council - is developing an ambitious community-led proposal to transform the site into an innovative rural skills and innovation campus serving Somerset.

"The vision is to bring together education, skills, enterprise and community life on one rural campus."

The new campus could potentially cater for early years provision, children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), further and technical education, apprenticeships and T Levels, agriculture, climate science and practical rural skills.

The proposal also includes provision for local arts and culture, sport, health and well-being - and may deliver a certain amount of affordable housing aimed at local residents.

Mr Power continued: "The intention is not to duplicate services already available elsewhere, but to work with existing education providers, employers and community organisations to fill gaps in rural skills, education and services and make them more accessible to people living and working in this part of the county.

"Interest is already emerging from potential education, community, funding and delivery partners, and work is under way to develop the organisational and funding structure required to acquire and regenerate the site.

"This is therefore about considerably more than saving an important local site.

Entrance to the former Bruton School for Girls on the A359 Sunny Hill in Bruton (Image: Google Maps)

"It is an opportunity to create an innovative rural campus that addresses genuine gaps in provision, benefits communities and businesses across Somerset, and has the potential to become a national exemplar for rural skills, innovation and community led regeneration.

"Given that potential, will Somerset Council identify a senior officer to coordinate cross-council engagement with Sunny Hill For Good CIC and Pitcombe Parish Council, bringing together the relevant executive members and officers to explore how the council can support the development of this opportunity for Somerset?"

Full details of the vision for the site can be found by visiting www.sunnyhillforgood.org.uk.

Councillor Heather Shearer, portfolio holder for children, families and education, began her formal response by wishing Ms Trimnell a speedy recovery.

Councillors Theo Butt Philip (Wells) and Heather Shearer (Mendip West) at the executive committee meeting (Image: Somerset Council)

Ms Shearer (who represents the rural Mendip West division) said: "Officers from our children's services department have already visited the site with Lucy and others, I think more than once.

"From our perspective, there is no educational need within our statutory responsibilities for this provision, due to the reducing number of children in that local area and also the fact that we have provision in that area which is meeting existing need - including a sixth form which is less than 300 metres from the site.

"This is not a strategic need for us."