HARROW School has commissioned a masterplan for the future of the school on the Hill.

The famous independent boys school, which owns lots of property and land in this area of the borough, forsees creating a new “showcase” reception and possibly a cafe at the heart of the ward.

“Currently the school has no discernible entrance, no arrival point, no meeting place and no gathering space,” says a planning document about the masterplan.

Jim Hawkins, headmaster, said: "The masterplan is a way of creating a long term plan for the maintenance of the buildings and looking at the potential for any new projects, making sure that there is real coherence about future estates planning here at Harrow School.

“It could take some time to complete the plan and large estates such as this did not always think about the long term impact of plans in the 60s and 70s so we want to make sure we are doing a better job at improving the environment for the local community and for the school.”

It has applied to Harrow Council to change the use of the ground floor of the fomer The Stone Rose pub in High Street from retail - it is presently occupied by Harrow School Outfitters - to residential.

Its planing consultants Kenneth W Reed Associaties wrote in a design, heritage and access statement: “Numbers 32 and 34 offer strategic opportunities for the school to consolidate its presence in this location, to enable it to create a shopfriont, an entrance, an administration centre and key destination on this prominent corner site opposite the headmaster’s residence and entrnace to the other central school facilities.

“It could be used as a reception area with meeting rooms and gathering space. It could have a cafe and a high tech display facilities.

“The glazed shopfront can become the showcase of Harrow School, a welcoming, transparent entrance ormeeting space for the school, guests or the public.”