SURPLUS land at West Somerset College in Minehead could be sold off and the income used to improve sports facilities there.

And parents of students are being asked for their views on the idea.

The consultation is part of work the school is undertaking as it explores the feasibility of the idea, and a professional land valuation is also being carried out.

The move could involve demolishing the existing sports hall, squash courts and changing rooms and building a modern replacement.

The college is working with Somerset County Council, which owns the land, but if a sale went ahead the school would be able to keep the proceeds.

These would be ring-fenced for development of sports facilities, which would be available for student use in the day and community use after hours, said the college.

The idea came about after architects carrying out a comprehensive review of the school estate advised that there were more than 9,000 square metres - almost a hectare, or two and a half acres - of surplus land on the main campus.

The college asked the local authority, from which it has 121 years of a 125-year lease still to go, about foregoing the surplus land if the authority wanted to sell, and now further work to explore the possibility is going on.

Parents have been asked for their views in a letter sent out by the college and the consultation period runs until January 31.

Full story in the Free Press