A historic former school building in the middle of Yeovil is being demolished in order to make way for 24 new homes near the town centre.
The former junior school site of The Park School is having its buildings torn down before work to transform it into a modern housing development can get underway.
The site, which comprised the former junior department, school hall and an all-weather sports pitch, has been vacant since 2018, when the school relocated to the former Chilton Cantelo School near Ilchester.
Last month, the school entered administration at its new home and faces closure within weeks if a buyer cannot be found.
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It later fell into a state of disrepair and was broken into several times, with the windows of the former school hall and junior department having been boarded up.
What will be built on the site?
Housing association Stonewater, which is delivering the project, is to turn the school into 18 two and three-bedroom houses and a block of six flats.
A new access road to the estate will be built on Park Gardens, while 38 parking spaces will be provided.
A design and access statement on behalf of Stonewater said: "The site is sustainably located within Yeovil town centre which makes the location an appropriate place to provide a variety of properties for a range of end users including couples and families.
"The proposal thoroughly takes into account the surrounding context and aims to create a positive relationship with the public areas and neighbouring properties by providing a contemporary high quality scheme."
Yeovil Town Council had recommended refusal of the plans, saying it represented "over-development" of the site and the design of the homes would "not be in keeping with the character of the area".
But Somerset County Council's highways team said the extra traffic the homes would produce was "unlikely to create a safety or efficiency problem", citing the traffic levels the school experienced at peak times when it was open and posed no objection.
The former senior school site, which is separated from the junior school by a footbridge that goes over the A30 at Queensway, will not form part of the development.
