A PROPERTY developer who has bought a former Victorian school is planning to convert the three buildings into apartments.

Businessman John Lamb, who bought Stanley Board School for £150,000 at auction, visited the property with an architect and builders this week.

He hopes the development on the fire-hit Front Street of the former mining town of Stanley will form part of the area’s regeneration.

Mr Lamb said: “It is a nice building as it is, certainly at the front and we intend to utilise that as much as possible and make it even nicer.

“My architect is working frantically to come up something that will be attractive and useful to everybody.

“The community will hopefully be very pleased with the outcome.”

Mr Lamb, who is based in Bradford, snapped up the former council property, after it was sold by a private seller at auction in Leeds last week.

He has also met with Durham County Council to discuss how it could fit into the masterplan to regenerate the area.

Mr Lamb said: “It only forms part of what can be done for Stanley, obviously. “You can see little things that are being done by different people but we hope this cause a little spark to create more interest.”

The school, headmasters’ house and annex buildings were built over an eight year period from 1891 to 1899.

Plans are being drawn up next week, but it is expected to be a mixture of high spec and affordable homes for people in the area.

Mr Lamb said: “I was talking to some locals and they were informing me of the situation with Stanley and how it is struggling to be revived recently.”

Front Street in Stanley was devastated by two major blazes in historic buildings last year and traders have been calling for action to regenerate the area.

Councillor Christine Bell, who represents the area on Stanley Town Council and is chairwoman of Stanley Traders’ Association, said: “I would welcome it as it may open up extra opportunities for nightlife.

“Traders will be happy about it, anything that is positive. We just don’t want anything that can be set on fire again. We have had three major fires in seven year, which is terrible for small town.

“I would say this could be massive part of the regeneration.”