The former Sandye Place Academy closed in 2019 and is currently costing the council, and therefore taxpayers, £100,000 annually for security and maintenance, with an additional spend needed to prevent deterioration of the listed buildings.
The site has historical features. There are Grade II listed features including the Mansion House and the Dovecot. There is open space including mature trees. The site is bounded by the river and is in a conservation area protecting its heritage and characteristics.
Although it is highly valued, the site has not been open for public access, with the exception of the Sandy Carnival and Coronation celebrations. Sandy Youth Club also operates from a dedicated building on site.
The site has been listed as an Asset of Community Value, which could mean the community will have the opportunity to bid to purchase it.
St. Swithun’s School is adjacent to the site and part of the playing field has been provided for use to St Swithun’s School Church of England VC Primary School.
Below are maps of the area to help understand the site better and respond with as much knowledge as possible.
Map of the former Sandye Place Academy site
This map shows the former Sandye Place Academy site, outlined in red, located in Sandy, Bedfordshire. The site includes the main academy buildings and grounds, bounded by the River Ivel to the south and Park Road to the east. To the north-east of the site is St Swithun’s Church and St Swithun’s Church of England VC Primary School, with a portion of the playing field already transferred to the school. The map was produced on 10 February 2023 at a scale of 1:2500.
Conservation area map of Sandy
This map shows the conservation area of Sandy, Bedfordshire, highlighting key features such as:
- listed buildings
- buildings of local interest
- conservation area boundaries
- areas where visual enhancement is encouraged
Green areas indicate important open spaces such as parkland and fields.
Red areas mark zones where improvement is encouraged.
Yellow dotted lines indicate focal frontages, and blue dotted lines show important boundary treatments.
Numbered markers indicate specific important views into and out of the conservation area, such as views of St Swithun's Church, Sandy Place, the War Memorial, and key street views from Bedford Road, Sunderland Road, and Park Road.
Map Legend:
- Black: Buildings of local interest
- Dark orange line: Conservation area boundary
- Blue: Listed buildings
- Red: Sites where enhancement is to be encouraged
- Green: Important green spaces
- Yellow dashed lines: Focal frontages
- Blue dashed lines: Important boundary treatments
- Orange circles with numbers: Important views (e.g., to and from Sandy Place, St Swithun’s Church, and recreation grounds)
- Orange arrows: Skyline features
The map scale is 1:2500. The River Ivel runs along the southern edge of the map, with extensive green open space to the north and northeast. The Sandy Place site is central to the map, surrounded by conservation and green spaces.
