Elizabeth College gets planners’ permit to convert RBC building

Canada Court, next to the school and close to the Odeon car park, is currently occupied by the Royal Bank of Canada, but it is moving its operation to Dorey Court at Admiral Park.

Now planning permission has been granted the college can proceed with purchasing the building, allowing the school to expand and enhance its facilities in nearly all areas of the curriculum. It is hoped initial occupation will happen this year.

The plan does not mean the school will increase the number of spaces available for pupils, instead the plan is to improve the learning environment for existing students.

Principal Jenny Palmer was pleased the school had been given the green light to proceed with the development.

‘We are very excited about the opportunities Canada Court will give us to future-proof our facilities and ensure that we are offering the best possible educational experience to our students,’ she said.

The main Elizabeth College building was designed to accommodate a maximum of 150 students. There are now more than 500 attending the upper school.

Pupil numbers and modern teaching methods, which include increased emphasis on individual and independent study, means there is pressure to improve facilities.

Initial plans make optimum use of the expanded site and a combination of moving into the new site and redeveloping and refurbishing the school’s existing buildings should give current and future students the best learning environment.

Plans include enhancing library and study amenities, an enlarged sixth form centre, year group bases, specialist classrooms for curriculum extensions such as food technology, and facilities for strength and conditioning training.

The extra space also means faculties with less teaching space can now benefit from a larger area.

These plans will be refined, with input coming from staff, students and special architects. Completion of all redevelopment and relocation will take between five and seven years.

College board of directors chairman the Very Rev. Tim Barker was delighted permission had been granted.

‘We warmly pay tribute to my fellow directors and the college staff who have worked so hard on this project,’ he said.

‘The college has played an important role in Guernsey’s life for many years. It is good that we will have the opportunity to reshape our facilities for present and future generations.’

Continued pressure on fees and ongoing and substantial reductions in States funding mean that all capital development on the college site in the last 15 years has been funded by donations from parents, school alumni and other supporters.

To complete the purchase, an appeal to supporters will be launched by the college in the near future.