Knocking down old school for parking will help trade, says charity

Hull Trinity House Charity has applied for permission from Hull Council to demolish Trinity House School, where generations of boys trained for a nautical career.

The school is about to move from its waterfront site opposite Princes Quay to the University of Lincoln building in George Street to allow it to expand to take up to 600 pupils.

It’s the only building in the immediate area not to be listed, and chairman of the board of trustees Capt Dennis Robinson said it had “no particular intrinsic value”.

They believe a car park offering some free parking will be beneficial to the area, with direct access to the shops from the Buoy Yard in front of the school, and also as an open space for festivals and arts events.

Capt Robinson said: “There is a great deal of talk about the regeneration of the Old Town and the regeneration of Hull altogether.

“What we are looking at is providing a car park in the area of the Old Town to compete with St Stephen’s. We think there should be an element of short free parking, probably a couple of hours.

“It’s also an available space for the city council to use for events like the Sea Shanty Festival and the Freedom Festival.”

The charity – which dates back to the 14th century – owns the south side of Whitefriargate as well as buildings on Trinity House Lane, Posterngate and Princes Dockside, in all around 50 properties, including shops, offices and the school.

Capt Robinson said their shop tenants and other retailers would benefit, but as a charity any money the car park made would have to be ploughed back into education.

The building is thought to date back to the early Victorian era, and is not the original school of 1787.