Campaigners in north Cardiff threatened with the loss of their local school building last night pledged to fight to save it for the community.
At a public meeting held in Llandaff North Community Centre, adjacent to the boarded up Hawthorn School, residents and community leaders gathered to discuss the next steps as part of the Save Hawthorn School Action Group.
Cardiff council put forward a notice to sell the building, which closed as a school in 2009. But the council has given options for demolishing the building altogether, or handing it over to the local community if a viable initiative is put forward.
Speaking to residents last night, Steph Wilkins, chair of the action group, said the community should vow to fight against demolition.
"In the ether there's the possibility we could have this building for community use providing we can demonstrate a sustainable scheme.
"From my point of view if it were to be demolished it would be the worst case scenario and I would like to fight against any demolition.
"If people want to save the building for community use it's vital several people come forward tonight to make a bid."
Council say tender is an "exercise"
But local ward councillor Jacqui Cooper said the tendering process was an "exercise" by the council to see what the future prospects of the school could be. Cooper said:
"This is an exercise and nothing concrete. We are putting it on the market to see what feedback we get back. There has to be capital receipts from the school. This is an exercise to see if there's local interest."
Former labour MP for Cardiff north Julie Morgan said:
"My concern about this being an exercise is a business plan needs to be put in and that's an awful lot of work. I want to be sure the council will surely consider something."
Umbrella pitch from local community
Wilkins called on residents and local community groups to put forward an "umbrella pitch" for a smaller section of the school – and bid with commercial companies who may wish to turn the larger part of the school into residential buildings.
"The school is under threat now because we were not consulted as a community and now we want to know what we can do as a community."
Local residents Paul Rock said:
"We would very much hope that the council knows that we do care about this building and that they propose something that's good for the community."
One Cardiff-based group hoping to join the pitch is Cardiff Steiner Early Years Centre – who hope to move from their base in Adamsdown to a bigger premises by September 2012.
The deadline for bids for the school building is 20 December. The Save Hawthorn School Action Group will meet again in January after the bid has been submitted. See more and the latest news on their website here.
