WITH the huge demand for a new primary school in the district, Tesco’s decision to withdraw its application for the derelict Eversheds printing works site could not have come at a better time.

But those who believe the future of this plot of land has all but been finalised may be in for a rude awakening.

It goes without saying that Tesco will not really care what is built on the land if it is in the market to sell.

However, it might just be the case that a school is not the top priority for St Albans District Council if it is in the market to buy this particular plot.

The district council and Tesco are both set to meet to discuss the future of the site and with Hertfordshire County Council announcing that money will be available for a new school in the county, some have done the maths, put two and two together and come up with four. But with the district council and Tesco doing the sums, the correct answer might just be five.

A Government demand for thousands of new homes (7,200 the last time I counted) still looms large on the horizon.

Add to that the authority’s waiting list for council accommodation – which stood at 2,235 at the end of January – and you can see its problem.

Tesco will no doubt set its asking price a lot higher if it can gain planning permission for hundreds of new houses and flats, so its proposed meeting with council leader Robert Donald (see the link below) is one to look out for.

The district council’s immediate concern appears to be the state of the dilapidated houses in London Road and Inkerman Road which is ironic when you consider how little has been done thus far.

Despite issuing statements to the contrary, many living in the immediate area believe the district council has been rather lenient with Tesco, allowing the supermarket giant to neglect the houses for years.

Had the houses already been refurbished and let out, the council would now be in a position to press ahead and raise matters which could affect the district more widely.

It may well be that Tesco is willing to hand the land over to the district council with rumours circulating that, with the vacant city centre Woolworths store tied up for the short term, it has set its sights on a plot elsewhere in the city. Tesco spokesman Nick Gellatly has already admitted that the company is “aware” of the former fire station site in Bernards Heath off Harpenden Road which it just so happens is owned by the county council.

The district council might argue that this site is a better location for a new primary school for a number of reasons.

When the district council first dismissed the application from Tesco for the Eversheds site, “the impact on traffic on the already busy roads” was one of the ten reasons given.

Can it now press ahead and build a primary school on the same land, given that it has already argued an increase in traffic volume would be unacceptable?

However, if the council sees the land as the ideal spot for a housing development, will Tesco be happy to sell if it believes the authority plans to build a school in Bernards Heath?

Whatever happens and whatever the reason, nobody can deny that the district of St Albans is in desperate need of a new school.

Sadly, with finance not an issue, finding the land for one could prove to be quite problematic.