COUNCIL-OWNED Bassetsbury Manor in High Wycombe has been sold to a private preparatory school as part of a cash-savings drive.

Crown House School has bought the 17th century manor, off Bassetsbury Lane by The Rye in High Wycombe, for a figure thought to be close to £1m.

Wycombe District Council put it up for sale to plug its ailing finances, a move that also closed nearby Holywell Mead outdoor swimming pool. It hires the manor for functions.

The school today hailed the news – but councillors warned of a “parking free for all” and said proceeds should be pumped into a new community facility and the pool.

The school is expecting to re-open at the Grade II listed building next September. It is currently in London Road, opposite The Rye.

Headteacher Ali Khan said: “We are extremely excited about the move as this was the only other location in High Wycombe we could have considered moving the school to.

“It is a brilliant move. The council has not been short-sighted.”

He said the school intended to let Bassetsbury Manor Bowls Club continue to use the green at the back of the manor when its lease expires.

Yet the croquet lawn would “probably” have to move after a year to keep children off. It charges termly fees of up to £2,590 for children aged up to 11.

Extensions could be added, though these would need planning permission, he said. It does not need permission to move in as restrictions do not apply to school uses.

He said: “There is an enormous amount of restrictions of what you can and you can’t do. We haven’t made our minds up.”

Children would play on the adjacent tennis court, he said. The move would also ease traffic at its present location, he added, and he did not anticipate a surge in congestion when it moves.

Yet Councillor Trevor Snaith, a member for Ryemead on the council, hit out of Conservative-controlled authority for not earmarking the cash for a replacement facility. It will go into the general budget for building projects.

The Liberal Democrat said: “It used to be a community building but the council decided to turn it into a conference centre and people couldn’t afford to use it anymore.

“A community facility is desperately needed and there would have been change left out of that to re-open the pool.”

And Councillor Peter Cartwright, who represents the area on Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “How on earth the traffic will cope down there I don’t know. It will be a free-for-all.”

Chris Woodman, spokesman for the Wycombe Society Conservation Group, said: “I’m sorry to see it leave the ownership of the council but if it has to go for economy reasons then it is better for education purposes than offices.”

Yet he said: “We are going to have to be vigilant about things that might damage the appearance of the building and its setting, such as car parking arrangements, the use of the outside area, name boards and particularly any advertising.

“We shall be watching this very carefully.”

Council spokesman Sue Robinson said: “Wycombe District Council has provisionally agreed the sale of Bassetsbury Manor to Crown House School.

“Terms have been agreed, subject to contract, and solicitors have been instructed to produce a draft contract for the sale.”

The sale figure will be publicly available when the deal goes through, she added.

The authority says it does not get enough cash from the Government and other income such as car parking charges have fallen due to the recession.