Decision!

The Council have approved the application to demolish the building. Now to secure the bell! I am in touch with the demolition contractor. I propose to make an offer to buy the bell and to ensure its safe removal before demolition starts.

Decision day approaches

A decision on the demolition proposal will be taken on Wednesday 13 December. Despite the objections, the Council's Planning Officers are recommending approval. They say that the design deals with earlier problems which had been used as grounds for refusal of a previous application. I am awaiting the decision with interest. I will be ready for action.

Doing my best

38 objections have now been received. But one message of support has been submitted. 'Cost effective use of site for a valuable social purpose' says local resident. Guess who? Decision due by 19 December.

Not looking good

Still more negative publicity. Checked progress on the Council's website. Consultation still going on. So far, of representations made, 13 against, none in favour. Still, when does the Council take any notice of the public? Hope springs eternal! Still watching.

A worrying development!

Mmmmm.

Things may not turn out as hoped. The Lymington Society is encouraging objections to the proposed demolition of the old school building. I don't think I can mount a compelling case for demolition on the grounds that it might provide an additional bell for my collection. Will watch in silence from the sidelines.....

Photos

Thought I would take the camera today. You can see why I walked pass this building many times without spotting the bell in the roof apex. Seeing the bell close up there appears to be no arm from which a rope could hang to enable the bell to be swung. Still - a minor matter compared with getting my hands on the bell. At least 4 weeks before I can do any more.

Pursuit begins

Contacted the County Council Estates Department to confirm that they are selling the school. Then the District Council Planning Department whose consent is needed for the demolition. They confirmed that the Swaythling Housing Association proposal is under consideration. Obtained name of the agents acting for the Housing Association. Then they put me onto the key man - the project manager of the company that will be responsible for demolition. I spoke to his secretary. She rang me back and told me to speak to her boss in about 4 weeks to discuss my wish to obtain the bell.
So far so good! Will return to action in 4 weeks.

Lymington Times

On Friday I saw an article about the old school in our local paper, The Lymington Times. A local housing association is planning to buy the school from the County Council and replace it with blocks of flats. How interesting!I popped into the library next door to find out if anyone new who I could speak to about the building. They took my details and promised to let me have a contact I could speak to about the bell.One way or another I am going to try to get the bell. It would look great restored and reinstalled on the side of my house. A pipedream? Well, let's see what happens.

First sighting

Walking one day to my local library I was looking up at the roofs of adjoining buildings and spotted something I had never seen before. High up on the wall of an old school building now used for storage was an old bell. I didn't think too much more about it that day.