MYSTERY surrounds plans for an urgently needed secondary school after the landowner for one of two prospective sites ruled itself out - only to change its stance a few hours later.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust told The Argus there was no surplus land for a new school at Brighton General Hospital in response to Brighton and Hove City Council officially confirming the site as one of two potential locations.

But within a few hours the trust issued a second statement saying the trust was in “very early discussions” about a possible land sale.

Brighton General Hospital has long been considered the frontrunner site for the University of Brighton free school but The Argus understands the preferred option is now to include the school in the redevelopment of City College Brighton and Hove’s central site.

Opposition councillors accused the council of being “disingenuous” if only one viable option for the new school was on the table.

Senior council officers were said to be taken aback by the trust’s initial statement and said both options were being given equal consideration.

Opposition councillors and union leaders have questioned the suitability, size and lack of playing fields of the Pelham Road site.

The council issued a statement yesterday that Brighton General and City College were being considered for the free school which could open by September 2018 with 180 pupils in its first year.

The authority said it is working with the university and the Education Funding Agency to identify an appropriate site and were in negotiations with the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and City College.

Trust officials said any plans had not reached the negotiation phase despite the need for a site to be selected before the launch of a consultation on secondary school admissions in the autumn.

Councillor Vanessa Brown, Conservative education spokeswoman, said: “My understanding was that it was always going to go to the Brighton General site but was told to keep it confidential.

“I had always wondered why it had not come out in the public domain and now it seems we know why, because there has been a problem with it.

“It seems very disingenuous to put this out saying there are two sites being considered.”

Councillor Alex Phillips, Green spokeswoman for children, young people and skills, called on the Labour administration to conduct a “meaningful consultation” giving residents a say on the new school.

She said: “Rumours abound that the site has been selected already, despite this announcement of two possible options."

Councillor Daniel Chapman, children, young people and skills committee deputy chairman, said: “The process of acquiring an appropriate site is complex.

"There is no ideal site in the city that is currently empty and available."

A University of Brighton spokesman said: “There is still a lot of work to be done before we reach a point where any decision might be made.”

OPPONENTS DISMISS CENTRAL PLOT AS FANCIFUL

A CITY centre site has been described as “impractical” and “unsuitable” for a new secondary school as it emerged as education bosses’ preferred choice.

Opposition councillors and trade union leaders have questioned using City College Brighton and Hove’s central site as the home for the planned University of Brighton free school.

The Pelham Street college, which last month confirmed its merger with Northbrook College, has harboured redevelopment plans for the best part of a decade with planning permission for a £79 million redevelopment with eight and 10-storey towers granted in 2014.

Phil Clarke, NUT executive member for Brighton and Hove, said: “The idea that you could fit in a secondary school of any significant size on that site and City College is pretty fanciful.

“Are playing fields not a consideration at all?

“If they are considering a split site then there can be quite a lot of logistical problems in getting hundreds of pupils from one site to another without losing one of them.

“It seems pretty impractical.”

Councillor Vanessa Brown, Conservative spokeswoman for education, said the City College site was less suitable than Toad’s Hole Valley where a planned secondary school is now considered not necessary. 

She said: “There are no grounds at the City College site. I would have thought Toad’s Hole Valley would be a better bet in terms of playing fields.

“I am worried about whether this will happen in time, 2018 is coming up fast.”

A City College spokesman said: “We will be submitting a bid for Local Growth Funding at the end of April. 

“The Government has not yet confirmed exact timelines for approving bids but we expect to find out in advance of the local authority’s autumn deadline. 

“The part of the site identified as a possible location for the school is on the east side of Pelham Street and previously housed a school.”