The Bedford Charity (Harpur Trust) is delighted to announce that, following a public tender exercise, it is in discussions with Bedford College regarding the Bedford High School buildings on Bromham Road that become vacant from September 2012.
Bedford College are currently the preferred bidder that may see it lease the main school buildings, Trinity Church and the Sports and Performing Arts (SPA) complex for the next ten years. The College plans to use the buildings for its more classroom based activities and continue to operate the SPA facilities that will allow existing clients to continue with their classes and club activities.
Final details of the lease agreement are subject to on-going negotiation but the College hopes it will be in a position to use the buildings for lessons from September 2012. The lease will not include buildings in the neighbouring Adelaide Square or The Crescent and the future of these buildings is still being considered by Savills on behalf of the Charity.
Ian Pryce CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Outstanding Ofsted Bedford College said: “We are delighted to be regarded as the preferred bidder. Our intention is to maintain the educational buildings for that purpose and to preserve local education history. Our Cauldwell Street campus will become an advanced technology centre with our more classroom-based activity moving to the High School buildings. In the last fortnight the College has won a major bid to quadruple its full-time Higher Education (degree level learning) numbers and we need to accommodate that growth. The High School building is a perfect environment for such work. We are working hard to ensure we open for students in September 2012 to ensure continuity in the use of the site.”
Commenting on the plans, David Russell, Chief Executive of the Harpur Trust, said “The opportunity to work with the College to expand and develop the educational opportunities and facilities for young people in Bedford is an exciting prospect; they need the space and we have the buildings so a ten year lease offers us both an ideal solution. In addition we are working with the College to ensure that the Sports and Performing Arts complex that includes a pool, sports hall and theatre, remains open and can continue to be enjoyed by the many local groups and individuals that use the facilities on a regular basis.”
The Harpur Trust and the College hope that negotiations on the lease will be complete by Easter.
The Bedford High School for Girls buildings become vacant by the end of August when the School finally shuts its doors as the final stage of the merger with Dame Alice Harpur School completes to form Bedford Girls’ Schools on Cardington Road.
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