Kimberley residents welcome conversion of former school dating back to the 1800s
Kimberley locals have welcomed the conversion of a former primary school into new homes.
The former Church Hill School could be converted into three new homes after plans were submitted to Broxtowe Council in December 2025 by Gray House Developments.
The old school was built in 1876 by the Midland Railway Company as an elementary school to serve the ‘growing Victorian population’, according to plans.
It originally served as a mixed school but switched to the all-boys Kimberley County Junior Boys School before it closed in 1982.
After the school closed, the building was used as an extension of Broxtowe College for a period.
Under the proposals, the school building would be converted into one four-bedroom home and two three-bedroom homes.
The developer says it plans on ‘minimising’ the changes to the building, where external alterations to the building would be limited to retain its ‘historic form’ and the ‘significant’ internal features will be retained or repaired, including the roof trusses.
Roy Plumb, chairman of the Kimberley (Chinemarelian) Historical Society, now aged 85, attended the school when he was seven years old in 1947 – and he welcomed the building being used for new homes, saying it was ‘a shame the see the building not properly used’.
He continued: “To convert it to three houses, if it’s not going to alter the external appearance is a good use of it – it’s better than pulling it down.”
Mr Plumb said the former school site had a break in ‘some years ago’ and the boundary wall has been knocked down ever since.
He added: “It does need some work done to it.”
Coun Andy Cooeper (Lab) represents Kimberley on the council and has lived in the area for 40 years.
He said the building had ‘been an eyesore for some years’ and added: “It’s untidy and it’s looked derelict for quite some time, so if someone’s planning on turning it into homes then it’s going to be a good thing.
“If they don’t change much of its appearance outside I’d be happy with that.
"There’s quite a few development changes down Gilt Hill that are completely out of character.”
Fellow Kimberley councillor, Will Mee (Lab), added: “It could do with a renovation.
"It’s important to maintain the history of the old school but bring it into the modern day.”
When Mr Plumb started school in 1947 the building was ‘gas lit and heated by two stoves in two of the classrooms and open fires in the other two’.
Recounting his days there, he said: “If you wanted to go play football you had to learn your times tables.
"I didn’t particularly want to play football but I did learn my times tables.
“I remember where the ground was, nobody maintained the ground, so people would have to bring shears to cut the grass.
“It was an enjoyable time, as lads we were all into train spotting, you could see the railways from the school so we’d do a bit of train spotting and in the playground we used to play marbles and cigarette cards, the games of the day.”
According to the council’s planning portal, the proposals are set to go to consultation on January 27, where the authority will decide on it at a later stage.