Private school site to stay on the high street

A Surrey private school has been given permission to continue using a high street shop indefinitely.

Ewell Castle School has been using the former charity shop in Fitzalan House as extra teaching and study space for its sixth form students.

The school, which has its main campus on Ewell's Church Street, had previously been given permission in 2021 for a temporary change of use by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) for up to five years.

The school's proposal to use the building permanently was approved by EEBC planning officers, who highlighted the last five years had "adequately demonstrated" it was a suitable location.

They added it brought a previously vacant site into use and benefitted the area "through enhanced social infrastructure", reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The school's planning documents said its existing campus was very compact, and it needed to provide additional accommodation for sixth form students and offices for ancillary support staff.

The plans also included the continued use of 13 private parking spaces.

A school spokesperson said there would be no physical changes to the building, and that no complaints were received during its use under temporary permissions.

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