Land at a secondary school will be sold to a housing developer for more than £6 million.

An agreement has been forged for part of the St Wilfrid's Catholic School site in Old Horsham Road, Crawley, to be disposed of to help fund a £22 million rebuilding project.

The school will be moved into new buildings on part of its playing fields and the land where it currently stands will be sold.

The move, which was agreed by officials at West Sussex County Council last week, has prompted mixed reactions in the town.

Crawley Borough Councillor Albert Crane said: "The loss of playing fields is deplorable, particularly as they are not going to be replaced.

"It is a problem we are increasingly facing in Crawley.

"We have to find space for 7,000 new homes within the town limits and our open spaces are being eaten up."

His council colleague Steve Joyce, a former pupil of St Wilfrid's, said this was an important opportunity for the school.

Coun Joyce said: "The facilities there are the same as they were when I was there almost 50 years ago. The rebuild is badly needed."

The school is the last in Crawley to be rebuilt or revamped, following projects for Thomas Bennett Community College, Ifield Community College, Hazelwick School, Holy Trinity C of E School and the construction of Oriel High School.

Building work has begun at St Wilfrid's and the new school is expected to be completed next year. When it is finished, construction can begin on the housing development.

The Department of Children, Schools and Families has provided most of the £22million funding required for the project.

The school will include a new chapel and conference centre as well as top quality teaching facilities.

Fourteen bidders have applied to buy the 4.65-acre site, made up of land owned by the county council and the Catholic diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

The county council has set a minimum sale price of £6.26 million.

The highest bidder will win the right to build on the land.

St Wilfrid's headteacher Jonathan Morris said he was delighted further pieces of an important educational project were being put in place.

He said: "The land to be sold comprises mainly of the old school buildings and some out of bounds scrub land.

"Some important memorial items including trees will be relocated on to the new campus.

"Within the entire project there are no playing fields being lost and indeed the newly-created sporting and recreational facilities will be vastly superior to the existing."

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