Beaufoy Institute

BEAUFOY INSTITUTE & LILIAN BAYLIS SITE

Beaufoy Institute, Black Prince Rd

The future of the Beaufoy Institute on Black Prince Rd and the former site of the Lilian Baylis School off Lollard St have been controversial local issues. The Institute is managed by Lambeth Council as administrator to the former Trustee Body which was never replaced when the changes to the Beaufoy School were made to create Lilian Baylis School. The Council is also trustee for a scholarship fund linked to the Institute. Apart from temporary uses the Institute has been empty for many years, but the Council no longer allows such uses. There have been various proposals for the use of the Institute from RCDT, the Cinema Museum, Lady Margaret Hall Settlement and other organisations – all rejected by the Council. RCDT adopted a statement on the future of the Institute in August 2004 – see right hand column.

Lilian Baylis

Lambeth Council has spent several years wondering what to do with the former Lilian Baylis School site after the new school building was opened on Kennington Lane. A public consultation was held in 2005 which was heavily criticised. RCDT adopted a statement on the approach to consultation in May 2005 – see right hand column.

Local Elections 2006

The future of both sites was a major issue in the May 2006 local elections in Prince’s Ward. News coverage on this was contained in RCDT’s weekly ENews/Events Listing – see right hand column.

Lambeth Council’s Current Proposals

In March 2007 the Council adopted a new approach to the future of both the Beaufoy and Lilian Baylis. The details were summarised in the 9 March RCDT ENews/Events listing – see right hand column.

Lady Margaret Hall Settlement’s Vision for the Two Sites

From autumn 2004 Lady Margaret Hall Settlement has been developing the idea of an Artisans School for the Beaufoy Institute. This has now developed within a more strategic vision for the Institute and the Lilian Baylis site in the Settlement’s ‘Kennington Quarter’ initiative – see right hand column.

The Next Steps

Any action on the Beaufoy requires the agreement of the Charity Commission to change the nature of the Beaufoy Trusts and sell that part of the land which is subject to charitable trusteeship. The Commission will have to publish proposals which local people can make comments on.

Page created April 2007