A sixth form college is asking to keep temporary classrooms first installed in 2010 for another five years as finance negotations stall a new permanent teaching block.
Varndean College was given provisional outline permission for the new two-storey block and other permament facilities last summer.
But according to a planning application to keep the old teaching huts, full plans are being held up because an agreement over how much of a financial contribution the college needs to make to Brighton and Hove City Council.
A planning application, written by NTR Planning, says: “The temporary huts have been essential for the ongoing operation of the College for the last 15 years in the face of limited funding from Central Government for new permanent facilities.
“However, the College is steadily working towards the delivery of new permanent buildings as funding becomes available.
“The first step towards this was an application granted in January 2019 for the erection of a two-storey Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Centre and the relocation of two of the modular classroom huts.
“More recently, a five-phase outline masterplan scheme was submitted in 2022 which includes replacing three of these huts with a new teaching block, as well as new permanent facilities elsewhere on site.
“This application received a resolution to grant planning permission at planning committee in June 2023 and is pending resolution of the S106 legal agreement.
“The temporary classroom accommodation remains crucial to the college’s ongoing operation, providing essential teaching facilities until permanent classrooms are established.
“As set out above, three of these huts will be replaced by Phase 1 of the 2023 masterplan. However, with the outline permission for the masterplan delayed due to ongoing discussion around the S106 legal agreement and applications still required under reserved matters and pre-commencement condition discharge, the timescale for delivery of Phase 1 remains uncertain.
“Varndean College therefore now seeks retention of the existing temporary classrooms for a further five-year period to ensure that these essential teaching facilities can be retained in advance of delivery of the masterplan.”
A council spokesperson said: “Our legal team has been engaging with the applicant’s team on a s106 legal agreement and are hopeful it will be signed in the coming weeks after delays on both sides.
“As the original application was for an overall ‘masterplan’, outline planning permission will be granted, with detailed (reserved matters) applications required at a later date.”
The seven cabin classrooms were first put up in 2010, after government funding for a masterplan to rebuild the college was pulled, even as pupil numbers began to outstrip the available space.
