A 19th century Grade II listed Georgian-style building which has provided thousands of East Yorkshire children with their first experience of school life is now to become a home to a special educational needs provider.
Hymers Hessle Mount has been sold to SofiNo Education Group by the Hymers Collage Charitable Trust in a deal overseen on its behalf by Garness Jones.
Sitting in two acres of land, the building, on Jenny Brough Lane, became surplus to the needs of Hymers College last year when a decision was taken to move its early years and infant pupils to its main campus in Hull.
‘High-levels of interest and offers’
Paul White, director of Garness Jones, said the building had attracted ‘high-levels of interest and offers’ after being placed on the market on a ‘best bid’ basis.
That was achieved in a deal agreed with property specialists JEM PROPERTY, which helps organisations in the care and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) sectors to grow.
“Our role was to find a suitable buyer and agree a sale which represented the best financial outcome for Hymers College Charitable Trust,” said Mr White.
“I’m delighted we were able to achieve this in the deal we agreed with Jem Property for their client, SofiNo Education Group.
“We expected high levels of interest when going to market as it is a wonderful Grade II listed building, in a great location, with potential for a wide range of alternative uses.
“There was interest from parties who wished to develop the land for private treaty luxury homes and private medical use, but these options would both have required change of use and full detailed planning, causing a delay in the transaction, and exposing our client to additional risk.
“The deal with Jem Property was clearly the best option, and, given its recent history of providing the first experience of school for many young children in this area, including myself.
“I was really pleased to be involved in seeing through a deal which will not only see the building given a new lease of life, but also retain a link to its history.”
James Morgan, Managing Director of JEM PROPERTY, says SofiNo Education Group will open the facility in 2027.
"We're currently active across a number of developments in Hull, including another site where we've worked alongside Garness Jones. They've been genuinely supportive of our client's ambitions in the city,” he said.
"Every operator we work with is responding to real demand from local authorities, whether that's special educational needs provision or assisted living. These are facilities communities need.
"This property was a strong fit for our client. It had the right use class and met Government size requirements for special education provision.
“But what makes this one particularly pleasing is that a former school is being repurposed to meet a genuine educational need, rather than being lost to the community entirely.
“At a time when school closures are all too common, it's good to see a building like this given a new purpose."
Building was built for banker and a private residence
Hessle Mount was originally a grand 19th-century residence built for a wealthy Hull banker, James Keiro Watson.
The property was converted into an independent preparatory school in 1979, Hessle Mount, and became part of Hymers College and was renamed Hymers Hessle Mount in 2022.
Last year, early years pupils and staff relocated to the main Hymers College campus in Hull and the building was placed on the market for sale.
The main building includes multiple ground-floor and first-floor classrooms, assembly spaces, offices, and an external playground with dedicated early-years modular buildings also on site.
