Romford residents angry at Council decision to sell off school for residential development.

Local residents have been saddened and infuriated by the decision of Havering Council to sell off the old Albert Road School in Romford for residential development.

The old school, which has been empty for four years since being vacated by The Bridge AP School, was declared “surplus to the Council’s requirements” by Cabinet on 8th February 2023. It ” has been identified for disposal to Mercury Land Holdings, the Council’s wholly owned housing development company” who

“have already had pre-app discussions with the planning department with a view to submitting a planning application in the near future.”

This is despite the building being on the Heritage Asset Register of Buildings of Local Heritage Interest – the “Local List” – where it is described as “a large building of quality design and material, which maintains an historic character on a street scene which has been dominated largely by post-war development “.

The Albert Road School was built and opened in 1883-1884. In 1956 it was renamed Manor Junior Mixed and Infants School, and the school closed in 1979. It then became The Century Youth House before being taken over by The Bridge AP School, which moved to its new site in Brentwood Road in 2018.

Councillor Judith Holt, St. Alban’s Ward Councillor told the Havering Daily: “This is very disappointing. Neither myself as Local Ward Councillor nor the local residents – many of whom have taken to social media to express their feelings – were consulted nor informed. Surely a community use could have been found for it? A local church had expressed an interest. I will contact the Council to request that the plaque on the front is at least saved. Another piece of Romford’s heritage is being destroyed.”

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