A PUBLIC consultation was held in the Marlburian Centre at Marlborough College to give the residents of Marlborough the opportunity to have a detailed look on the plans for the new girls’ boarding house, Dancy House.

As part of the consultation, organised by architects Allies and Morrison and Marlborough College, a team was on hand today (Thursday October 6) to answer any questions regarding the design of the new boarding house, which will sit in College Fields, on the north side of the A4 in parallel to four other boarding houses belonging to the college. The consultation will run until 8pm tonight.

Deputy master of Marlborough College, Peter Bryan, said: “We have approached the project in a different style this time, we are thankful to be working with Allies and Morrison, the way the consultation and development is going is preferable. We are very happy with the way the project is being handled.”

With the original plans for the boarding house being withdrawn by Marlborough College in March of this year, Marlborough College teamed up with Allies and Morrison to come up with a fresh design that would be suitable for the college and the surrounding area. The 70 bedroom boarding house will be built for girls aged 11-17 who attend the college, as well as room for a live in house patron and their family.

Andrew Nevin, the project architect for Dancy House, said: “It is important to be up front and honest about the design and the project so people can give us feedback and provide us with an idea of what their concerns are. Of course there is an element of subjectivity to designs but it is good to have people’s thoughts so we can address them at this stage in the project.

“We walked up and down the High Street and researched the history of the town and the buildings’ historic context. This development has four stages, the first was to sit down with Wiltshire Council to discuss how the building would fit in with the area, the public consultation is the second and there will be another one in November after we have taken time to look at the feedback and devise a clear plan, and then of course the discussion with the college and the town council. We have also been having discussions with Historic England about the building."

With the room kitted out with informative posters and a model of the college with the proposed addition, anyone who found themselves either interested in the development, or worried that the plans would not meet the natural architecture of the town, were invited to take part in the first stage of the public consultation.

Hazel York, of Sorely Close, said: “I think it is very good there is a public consultation. I don’t think the plans are going to upset me, Marlborough College is lovely and a big part of this town and I think the new boarding house just means more girls will be able to stay there. Marlborough is such a wonderful place and the college is wonderful.”

The deadline for the public feedback of the new plans for Dancy House will take place on October 19, anyone wishing to submit their views on the plans can email dancyhouse@marlboroughcollege.org or call 0800 1696507. The date for the next public consultation will take place in November, with an exact date waiting to be confirmed.