New lease of life for old Calderdale school as plans for new home given go-ahead

The derelict Scarborough School at Providence Hill, Stainland, can be renovated into a new modern home after Calderdale Council planners have given the go-ahead.

The school forms the easterly end of a terrace incorporating three further three-storied terraced houses.

For some considerable time it was inextricably linked with the Providence Congregational Church located across Providence Hill along with its attendant graveyard.

There are no date stones although there are significant references to use gleaned from the well-known online Malcolm Bull’s Calderdale Companion, said the supporting statement with the application.

Indications are the school was in fact rented by the Providence Congregational Church and used as an “Institute for Men” for some considerable time before 1912.

The property as it currently stands, was bought in 1912 by the Providence Congregational Church and renovated to form the School at a cost of £300.

The church created a Primary department at a further cost of £60 but in 1951, the building was sold to Messrs Cartwright for use as a wholesale confectionery warehouse.

By 2004 the property became derelict and was purchased by the current owners in 2017 and has been used for domestic storage, according to the statement.

The statement describes much of the building as being on a poor condition although walls are in a “fair” condition.

“Rudimentary electrical installations have been added over the years – but in no way comply with current standards.

“Heating such as it was was provided by open fires in fireplaces which have long gone,” it adds.

But the building does have a drainage link, says the statement.

If approved, the building would be completely renovated including a new roof, salvaging existing tiles where that is possible, walls repaired and rejointed and new flooring to making three stories like other homes on the row rather than the existing two.

Existing ground floor flags will be lifted for salvage and new flooring laid on top of underfloor heating system which will provide heat an air source heat pump.

“The proposal is to convert this substantial property into a comfortable modern day dwelling,” says the statement.