New plans for part of an empty school site once hailed as ushering in a new era in education have been lodged.

Less than three years after it opened Trafalgar College in Thamesfield Way, Great Yarmouth, stands empty, its pupils moved to the Charter Academy site in Salisbury Road, known for its strict behaviour rules.Now Grosvenor Garage in Beccles Road, Bradwell, is looking for a change of use of part of the carpark to allow vehicle sales as the former school looks to scope out a new use.

James Goffin, spokesman for the academy chain behind both Trafalgar College and Charter, said the land was owned by the Department for Education (DfE) and leased to the Inspiration Trust.

He said all pupils moved from Thamesfield Way to Salisbury Road at Easter under the merger which was fiercely opposed by some.At the time the merger was announced the school had 163 pupils and planned to grow as year groups were added taking the students to years 12 and 13 in 2021.

Instead Charter Academy aims to add a sixth form provision for around 70 pupils, providing there is demand and the school's GCSE results are "secure."

Building work to add new classrooms, science labs and all-weather sports pitches is due to begin this summer.Mr Goffin added there had been several expressions of interest in the site, all of which had been passed on to the DfE.

When it opened, the trust said the converted office building for Trafalgar, once home to oil and gas company Perenco, was only a temporary site later revealing artists impressions of a new, £20m school building they hoped to secure the go-ahead for. At the time, the trust said they hoped to apply for planning permission for the new site, but this bid was never submitted.

No documents have yet been submitted as part of the vehicle sales proposal, and the applicant has declined to comment.