A FORMER building for education, steeped in Cornish history, is set to be turned into apartments after Cornwall Council gave the green light for the proposals.

The National School, located on St Thomas’ Road was for many years a place where generations of Launceston’s children gained the education that would see them through life. Later, it was an adult education facility until falling into disuse and being put for sale at an auction.

Lamisell Ltd Directors Pension Fund applied to the authority seeking clarification on whether ‘prior approval’ is required to convert the National School Centre on St Thomas Road in Launceston from offices to four residential apartments.

The proposals could see the building turned into one one-bedroom apartment and three two-bedroom apartments.

There would be no impact on the conservation area that the National School Centre fits in as all the works to convert the building into the four apartments would be conducted internally with the external façade remaining the same.

In its illustrious history, the school was for a period the place where Launceston’s celebrated poet, Charles Causley was a teacher.

The application prompted readers to share their memories of the school – with one student of Mr Causley who later went on to teach generations of students English Language and Literature contacting The Post to express her hopes that the application could be turned down.

Mrs Jane Nancarrow wrote in her letter to the editor of the Post series: “I was heartbroken to read that the old National School is going to be converted into flats.

“As one of the hundreds of former pupils of Charles Causley it is a real part of Launceston’s history.

“I had hoped that it would be used for Adult Education once again, or perhaps even as an Art Gallery.

“We were all “Causley’s children” and hopefully Cornwall Council will turn this planning application down.”

Jane Nancarrow pictured outside of the house where the poet was born at Riverside

However, Cornwall Council’s planning department stated that under the planning rules for permitted development, the application was accorded to be permissible under those regulations.

It means that Lamisell Ltd Directors Pension Fund can proceed with converting the former National School into the four apartments without having to seek a full planning application.

The council’s planning department told the applicant: “I refer to the notification of proposed development at National School Centre, St Thomas Road, Launceston, which was received on July 2, 2026. I can advise you that this proposal will not require prior approval of the Local Planning Authority.

“Sufficient information has now been supplied to demonstrate it is practical to change the use of the building and any land within its curtilage from a use falling within Class E (Commercial, business and service) to a Class C3 (dwellinghouse) use.

“The proposal therefore may be carried out providing that it is wholly in accordance with the submitted details and in accordance with condition(s) if applicable.”

No additional conditions were stipulated beyond that it must be converted according to the proposals submitted as part of the approval process.

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