Plans to convert an empty school building on protected land into a new block of flats are set to be signed off.

Developers Tomei and Mackley have proposed building flats at the reception building for what was the Roman Catholic All Saints Secondary School in Layhams Road.

The school site is close to West Wickham Court Primary School, which has buildings that dates back to Henry the Eighth, and the Daughters of Mary and Joseph’s retreat and conference centre.

The All Saints School was established in the early 90s before eventually closing in 2007.

The school has been the site of a new development for nearly 50 homes, and work is underway on bulldozing the old facilities for the new builds.

The developers said the reception building is the only structure remaining from the old school that has “architectural merit.”

Their proposals include converting the building as it is into ten flats, six one bedroom and four two-beds, along with ten parking spaces.

The site is on green belt land, which is a status given to areas that can be protected from development.

Councillors resolved to approve the plans earlier this year, and are set to formally sign them off subject to a legal agreement next week.

According to planning documents: “The conversion of the existing building into residential units will bring the building back into use after a long period of vacancy.

“The scheme provides a mix of one and two bedroom flats with a full on site provision of affordable housing and a wheelchair accessible unit.

“The units meet the requirements of the London Plan in terms of mix, unit size and tenure.

“The development is not considered to compromise the privacy or amenity of future occupiers of the nearby new houses that will be on the south side of the site.”

The scheme will be debated at a planning meeting next week, Thursday August 15.