A COMMUNITY group on Portland has accused the county council of ‘not playing fair’ after a former school site was put up for auction.

The Portland Community Partnership (PCP) said it was shocked to learn the land, which it considered part of the island's ongoing Neighbourhood Plan, had been listed on an estate agent’s website.

The land, which covers 1.08 acres, is at Killicks Hill. Up until last year, the site had been occupied by the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy and was previously known as Underhill School.

Pupils waved goodbye to the school in July however before making the switch to the school’s other campuses.

Senior members of the PCP said they were left under the impression that the community would have some say over the site’s future, having been considered a potential site for community use under the Neighbourhood Plan

The site is owned by Dorset County Council and does not sit within a conservation area.

The original schoolhouse, however, has been designated as an Important Local Building.

Symonds and Sampson, the surveyors and estate agents involved, say there is no commentary on the site under the existing Local Plan.

Andy Matthews, chairman of the PCP, said: “The county council are not playing fair in terms of the community in recognising the Neighbourhood Plan.

“This area is covered by the Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan calls for all land developers to register any potential sites.

“Our belief was that they were always going to come under the Neighbourhood Plan.

“The county council needs to take account of the Neighbourhood Plan. That’s what should be happening.”

Rachel Barton, life president of the PCP, said: “We are obviously disappointed.

“I think it would have been a lot nicer if they had consulted with us.

“It feels like the authorities aren’t supporting the Island and the Neighbourhood Plan."

A spokesman for Dorset County Council said it wasn’t legally obliged to consult with the local community on this occasion.

She said: “The county council is not legally obliged to consult with the local community when selling any building, unless the building has been registered as an asset of community value - this is not the case with the former Underhill School.

“This particular building is not in good repair and to retain it in public use would not be the best use of public funds.”

Tenders for the former school site are being sought for by 12pm on Friday, May 15 in writing to Symonds and Sampson’s Poundbury office.