Heanor Grammar School, Derbyshire. October 2021

[Ferox]

I'd fancied this one since seeing the reports from here back in 2019. We had a look late 2020 with no luck, but thankfully cracked it this time. I'm sure we have all experienced places that just don't feel right well, this was one of those for me. I was not conformable from the start unfortunately and the door that keep banging upstairs did not help first impressions. We thought that there must be other explores in building but, when we got up to that level it stopped. I'm not saying it was anything paranormal but, it certainly did not help with my feeling of unease. Not long after that I noticed the flashing silent alarm I'd read about and thought, this is going to be a quick one.
Anyway, it turned out not to be as big as I thought it might be, so we were round it pretty quick but, not quite quick enough as it turned out. All about the central hall and cool wood panelled corridors in here for me. The staircases turned out to be really nice also with lovely, curved ceilings. I was starting to think about putting the camera away when suddenly there was a bloke in a grey tracksuit stood looking at us. As he was standing near where we got in, I thought he must be another explorer and greeted him with a friendly "alright mate". His reply was something along the lines of "I fucking would be if it wasn't for wankers like you getting me out of fucking bed". What followed was more abuse, slammed doors and kicked debris as we where escorted out by this angry fellow. It did mean we never had to climb back out of the place which was most appreciated. Visited with Paul

The school built in 1912 and originally known as Heanor Technical College. It was designed by Derbyshire-born, school architect virtuoso George H Widdows and constructed at a cost of £15,000. In 1976, the site became part of South East Derbyshire College before being taken over by Derby College in 2010. The school was due to become a studio college, but dwindling pupil numbers meant the project was canned and the Grade II listed building has been vacant since 2013.
Vale Property Limited bought the site in 2016 and planned to invest £5 million into its redevelopment. In September 2018, the firm saw its plans to turn the Grade II-listed building into 24 apartments, the former science block into a further nine apartments, and to build 19 houses in the college grounds, refused by Amber Valley Borough Council.
In 2020, the council offered to buy the building from Vale Property Limited, however the owner’s current asking price and the council’s own independent valuation differs immensely. The stalemate has meant that the school remains empty.

















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Thanks For Looking

Heanor Grammar School | Flickr

 

[Stealthstar79]

Lovely building. Nice to see it again it's Been on my list a while. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ferox]

Thanks @Stealthstar79. Yep, it is a lovely building. I do like a bit of Edwardian.

 

[Humff]

Very nice, love the window with ivy

 

[Ferox]

Very nice, love the window with ivy

Thank You

 

[PhilR]

I'd fancied this one since seeing the reports from here back in 2019. We had a look late 2020 with no luck, but thankfully cracked it this time. I'm sure we have all experienced places that just don't feel right well, this was one of those for me. I was not conformable from the start unfortunately and the door that keep banging upstairs did not help first impressions. We thought that there must be other explores in building but, when we got up to that level it stopped. I'm not saying it was anything paranormal but, it certainly did not help with my feeling of unease. Not long after that I noticed the flashing silent alarm I'd read about and thought, this is going to be a quick one.
Anyway, it turned out not to be as big as I thought it might be, so we were round it pretty quick but, not quite quick enough as it turned out. All about the central hall and cool wood panelled corridors in here for me. The staircases turned out to be really nice also with lovely, curved ceilings. I was starting to think about putting the camera away when suddenly there was a bloke in a grey tracksuit stood looking at us. As he was standing near where we got in, I thought he must be another explorer and greeted him with a friendly "alright mate". His reply was something along the lines of "I fucking would be if it wasn't for wankers like you getting me out of fucking bed". What followed was more abuse, slammed doors and kicked debris as we where escorted out by this angry fellow. It did mean we never had to climb back out of the place which was most appreciated. Visited with Paul

The school built in 1912 and originally known as Heanor Technical College. It was designed by Derbyshire-born, school architect virtuoso George H Widdows and constructed at a cost of £15,000. In 1976, the site became part of South East Derbyshire College before being taken over by Derby College in 2010. The school was due to become a studio college, but dwindling pupil numbers meant the project was canned and the Grade II listed building has been vacant since 2013.
Vale Property Limited bought the site in 2016 and planned to invest £5 million into its redevelopment. In September 2018, the firm saw its plans to turn the Grade II-listed building into 24 apartments, the former science block into a further nine apartments, and to build 19 houses in the college grounds, refused by Amber Valley Borough Council.
In 2020, the council offered to buy the building from Vale Property Limited, however the owner’s current asking price and the council’s own independent valuation differs immensely. The stalemate has meant that the school remains empty.

















.



Thanks For Looking

Heanor Grammar School | Flickr

That chap was lucky that you weren't the violent type, a lesser type might have punched him on the nose. If hed come across travellers looking for copper, etc., he would be lucky if he got away without having his bones broken.

 

[Hayman]

That chap was lucky that you weren't the violent type, a lesser type might have punched him on the nose. If hed come across travellers looking for copper, etc., he would be lucky if he got away without having his bones broken.

I take it "that chap" also had no right to be on the premises - hence his belligerent attitude. What sort of security guard behaves in the way he did? Seems as though he was reinforcing his possession of the place.

 

[SARAH79]

I take it "that chap" also had no right to be on the premises - hence his belligerent attitude. What sort of security guard behaves in the way he did? Seems as though he was reinforcing his possession of the place.

That bloke was no security guard.

What a great building.

Do ylou have the same problem up your way as we seem to down south in that places that get PP denied seem to randomly catch fire?

Someone should investigate it really.

 

[HistoryBuff]

Cool pics. Nice building.

 

[whg060846]

Thank you for taking these photos (yes lovely panelling and curved ceilings) and explanation why sadly empty.

 

[Hayman]

That bloke was no security guard.

What a great building.

Do ylou have the same problem up your way as we seem to down south in that places that get PP denied seem to randomly catch fire?

Someone should investigate it really.

Such places do not just "catch fire". The many piers that have suffered fires surely outnumber what may be called a reasonable proportion. When it is no longer economicable for any building to remain intact, beware the arsonist!

 

[BikinGlynn]

There is call out security here & motion sensors inside, its one of the very few places we have been caught but was lovely guy who came out.
We were I believe teh first to get caught in here as he was baffled as to what we were doing & had never heard of Urbex!
Sounds like the guy the Op met was another one

 

[HughieD]

We got caught in similar citcumstances to the OP, but the guy was fine and as he escorted us out chatted with us and was pretty OK about it.

 

[SARAH79]

Such places do not just "catch fire". The many piers that have suffered fires surely outnumber what may be called a reasonable proportion. When it is no longer economicable for any building to remain intact, beware the arsonist!

Sorry I didn't make it very obvious that I was being sarcastic.

Just like you say it is all down to money.

 

[Hayman]

Sorry I didn't make it very obvious that I was being sarcastic.

Just like you say it is all down to money.

And to think I've been accused of being sarcastic all my life!!

 

[PhilR]

I take it "that chap" also had no right to be on the premises - hence his belligerent attitude. What sort of security guard behaves in the way he did? Seems as though he was reinforcing his possession of the place.

That thought crossed my mind. I wouldn't mind possessing some of these places!

 

[Hayman]

That thought crossed my mind. I wouldn't mind possessing some of these places!

"Nine tenths of the law"?

 

[PhilR]

"Nine tenths of the law"?

Well, yes, if you can stay there long enough, you can and no owner can be found, you might possibly be able to claim it. I'm sure that I read that when I was researching the matter regarding property and land legislation.
The good news is that you can trespass, so long as no damage is done, especially when entering properties. You can get arrested, however, on suspicion of criminal damage, which was a wheeze that I was told of, and when I was an MOD Police officer I at RAF Greenham Common.

 

[Hayman]

Well, yes, if you can stay there long enough, you can and no owner can be found, you might possibly be able to claim it. I'm sure that I read that when I was researching the matter regarding property and land legislation.
The good news is that you can trespass, so long as no damage is done, especially when entering properties. You can get arrested, however, on suspicion of criminal damage, which was a wheeze that I was told of, and when I was an MOD Police officer I at RAF Greenham Common.

As I understand it, adverse possession can be claimed after 11 years for open land. Not sure about buildings. And trespass laws vary depending on who owns the property; railway land being one example where trespass is a straightforward crime. Use of the 'Sus law' by civilian police has been an easy way to detain nuisance makers.

 

[PhilR]

As I understand it, adverse possession can be claimed after 11 years for open land. Not sure about buildings. And trespass laws vary depending on who owns the property; railway land being one example where trespass is a straightforward crime. Use of the 'Sus law' by civilian police has been an easy way to detain nuisance makers.

I would think that if you have claimed the land, anyone laying claim to any building would find it difficult to get to their property on your land.

Technically, there is something of a hurdle to use suspicion of an offence, which has to be more than preparatory to the offence itself, except for going equipped to steal. There are always exceptions to the rule, which is though. The MOD now has legal protection for its land, and you can get arrested. I may have been the first person to make an arrest under the GREENHAM Common byelaws, that made trespass there a criminal offence. Ironically, the peace women wanted to get in, and but the police officers wanted to get out.