A former Cotswold village school could be converted into two homes.

The Old School at Great Barrington closed down more than 40 years ago. Now Great Barrington Estates wants to convert the school and associated building into two dwellings with associated works.

Great Barrington lies on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border and the Old School lies in the centre of the village within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

McLoughlin Planning, who are acting the applicants, say the site is bounded on three sides by residential development and is accessed via an unnamed road that runs through the centre of the settlement. The main school building is grade II listed and the site is set within the Great Barrington Conservation Area.

Their report says: "The school has been closed since 1982, some 42 years ago, the previous use has therefore ceased for a considerable amount of time, where the required community need would have been absorbed with surrounding local schools and facilities within the area, therefore demonstrating there is no local demand for the facility and service and that replacement facilities are available in the locality.

"The proposed development seeks to make use of the disused school buildings to provide a holistic residential development. The proposal would provide two dwellings, one two-bedroomed house and one one-bedroomed house.

"Given the existing openings, no external changes are required to convert the Old School with only a few minor alterations to the old school office that includes the replacement of two circular windows with simple casement windows at first floor and the replacement of a window downstairs with a door. Both buildings are structurally sound and capable of conversion without significant extension or alteration."

Part of the playground would be removed to provide additional garden and parking.

The planning report concludes: "The proposed conversion complies with both local and national planning policies for the reuse of disused rural buildings and making efficient use of previously developed land."

A decision on the scheme will be made by Cotswold District Council.