Architect Hunter & Partners is implementing a groundbreaking plan to provide accommodation for teachers priced out of the South-east's housing market
The practice has already completed a scheme at a private school in the Surrey stockbroker belt. The scheme, paid for by a housing association, comprises two blocks of flats that can house as many as 23 staff within the school's grounds. This is the first time that a housing association has developed such a scheme in Britain.

The innovative aspect of the scheme is that the flats were paid for by a registered social landlord and leased to teachers at a discount. The RSL will manage the blocks for 35 years, after which they will be sold to the school for 拢1.

Clinton Green, a director of Hunter & Partners, said the involvement of the RSL made commercial sense for the school. He said: "It is a great way of getting somebody else to pay for good quality accommodation for teaching staff."

The 拢2m scheme was built, in time for this academic year, on the grounds of St George's College, a private Roman Catholic school in Weybridge, Surrey. The opportunity is now there to put similar accommodation into state schools.

Green said that the concept could be rolled out across the country. "Provided a school can give up the odd acre of land and the council plays ball with planning, there is an opportunity to do this at every school."

He noted that local authorities had yet to follow the lead set by the private sector. "I think it is a missed opportunity by the LEAs," he said.

Provided the council plays ball, we can do this at every school in the country

Clinton Green, director, Hunter & Partners

Hunter & Partners tendered the scheme to housing associations that had provided similar schemes for key workers at NHS hospitals. At St George's College, the accommodation blocks were built for Pavilion Housing Association by Bugler Developments.

Green said the scheme provided staff with decent accommodation at about 75% of the rental market rate.