Braintree Council is being asked to allow housing on the site of Tabor High Middle School in Panfield Lane.

An Essex County Council outline planning application, lodged this week, includes the provision of roads onto the site.

A spokeswoman for County Hall said permission was being sought to decide what could be done with the land once Tabor High School's younger pupils move into the new £4.6 million building further along Panfield Lane in September of next year.

This will put the whole school on one site.

The news comes just weeks after plans were unveiled to turn grounds at the school's former twin site, the old Braintree County High School, in Coggeshall Road, into a town park.

The future of the Panfield Lane school buildings, originally the Margaret Tabor School opened in 1937 and incorporated into Tabor High School in 1971, is not yet known. The building is not listed.

Deputy headteacher, Katherine Aldridge, said this week that work is progressing well on new school buildings which will house around 400 lower school pupils, a new library, science labs and technology rooms, music rooms, a drama studio and assembly hall.

"We are obviously delighted that after all this time we are going to have all our pupils on one site. Of course there will be certain sadnesses about leaving the old school," she said.

The site is also home to a number of local voluntary groups including the Tabor Centre for physically disabled adults, Homestart family support group, Busy Beavers playgroup and Connections youth club.

Jean Stock, secretary of the Tabor Centre which caters for over 65 disabled adults, said: "We are very concerned.

"The issue of accommodation in the district for groups like ours needs to be looked at urgently."

Busy Beavers supervisor, Janette Threadgold, said that unless suitable premises can be found the 25-year-old playgroup, which caters for 18 toddlers, could close.

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