The former Bruton School for Girls could be transformed into a rural skills and innovation campus bringing education, training, businesses and community facilities together on its 34-acre site.

Sunny Hill For Good CIC is developing plans for the former school on the A359 at Sunny Hill, which closed in 2022 after pupil numbers fell.

The proposals could include early years provision, support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, further and technical education, apprenticeships and T Levels.

Agriculture, climate science and practical rural skills are also among the ideas being explored, alongside arts and culture, sport, health and wellbeing and some affordable housing.

The plan was raised at Somerset Council's executive meeting in Taunton on Wednesday, 2 September by councillors representing Wincanton and Bruton.

Councillor Tom Power spoke on behalf of Councillor Lucy Trimnell and said the site had suffered vandalism, theft and deterioration since the school closed.

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

Mr Power said the aim was to work with existing education providers, employers and community organisations rather than duplicate services already available elsewhere.

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

The project is being led by Sunny Hill For Good CIC, which was co-founded by Jonathan Duffy, chairman of Pitcombe Parish Council.

Mr Power said interest was already emerging from potential education, community, funding and delivery partners, with work under way on the structure and funding needed to acquire and regenerate the site.

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

"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."

However, Somerset Council has said it does not currently identify a strategic need for another school at the site.

Councillor Heather Shearer, the council's portfolio holder for children, families and education, said officers had already visited the site.

She said: "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."

Mr Power asked the council to identify a senior officer to coordinate discussions with Sunny Hill For Good and Pitcombe Parish Council as the proposal develops.

The community-led plans are still at an early stage, with work continuing on the organisational and funding structure needed to acquire and regenerate the former school site.

Original reporting: Daniel Mumby/LDRS

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