PLANS are in the offing for a major residential development in the heart of town after Haslemere Prep School was sold for £3.625 million.

The Hill Road school announced in March 2016 that it would close for good at the end of that academic year after operating for more than 60 years, because falling numbers and rising costs in recent years meant the educational charity had become unviable.

When it closed last July the school had 123 pupils aged from three to 13 on its roll and employed more than 30 staff.

The site, which covers 2.35 acres was marketed as “an excellent location within the prestigious Heights area of Haslemere”, offering “the potential for comprehensive redevelopment, or conversion and extension, for a range of uses including residential, commercial and continued use as a school”.

It has been sold on an unconditional basis to Hambleon-based property developers Twist Heights Ltd, in a deal brokered by Guildford-based property management company Bruton Knowles.

In a curious twist of fate one of the Twist Heights directors, Hambledon property developer Guy La Costa, is the father of a former pupil at the school. His son left Haslemere Prep 10 years ago. “It was a lovely school,” Mr La Costa said.

“I know it very well. It has lovely views and I’m very excited we now own the site. I buy properties with my heart rather than my mind.

“We are a niche developer and only select a few developments every year. We pride ourselves on building traditional houses with a contemporary twist.

“We did a similar development in Dorking, where a prep school sadly had to close.

“We will be seeking a change of use to residential and will go through an initial consultation with Haslemere residents when we have plans available. My team is drawing up schemes for consideration at the moment.”

The school closure last summer sent shock waves through the town.

Announcing it was to shut, chairman of governors Allan Gardner, who sent both his sons to the school, said: “This has not been an easy decision for the board and we have looked at various options to enable the school to continue, but the economic challenges over recent years have meant that the options are not available.”

Shocked school supporters took action to try to reverse the decision.

A group of 149 petitioned the board of governors to think again and “find a long term solution” to keep the school open, but they failed to make any headway.