THE site of a closed secondary school has been marked as a key location as part of a regeneration project.

Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has committed to working with residents in Winklebury to develop plans for the future use of the Fort Hill Secondary School site which will contribute to the regeneration of Winklebury.

The school site, in Kenilworth Road, will cease to be used for secondary education purposes at the end of the current academic year, but the existing pre-school nursery, which is on site, is being maintained and will be incorporated into future plans for the site.

The two local authorities have looked at various options on how the Fort Hill site can be re-used as part of the Winklebury regeneration.

Options already explored include using the building for community use, but this is not believed to be feasible, owing to the age and condition of the buildings and high ongoing maintenance and running costs of the site.

Leader of the county council, councillor Roy Perry, said: “Undoubtedly, the land on which the former school stands offers many opportunities. It is possible that the site could be redeveloped for a range of uses that may include community facilities, public open space and a proportion of new, affordable local homes.

“When feasible options have been identified, we will gather the views of local residents and other stakeholders before any final decisions are made. We welcome the support of the Winklebury Community Action Group in developing those plans, as well as the input of the wider community.”

One option the county council is exploring is to demolish the buildings, in order to pave the way for alternative use of the site.

The site is a protected Scheduled Ancient Monument however, and any future proposals will need to respect this status.

Leader of the borough council, councillor Clive Sanders, added: “This is a great opportunity and we have been speaking with local residents and businesses, most recently at the Winklebury Gala, to discuss how the area can be improved as part of the Winklebury Regeneration project. Initial ideas for the site include community facilities and public open space for the wider community to access.

“Once a decision has been made by Hampshire County Council, we are committed to working closely with all partners, the Winklebury Community Action Group and the wider community to find the best option that will benefit everyone in Winklebury and make the area a great place to live and work.”

Proposals for the future use of the site will be developed over the coming months and all stakeholders will have the chance to contribute their views on these proposals, as they emerge.