A public school building sitting empty should be retrofitted for housing, an Opposition MP has proposed.

Michael Fahy, the Shadow Minister of Housing and Municipalities, said he was “stunned” that the former Bishop Spencer School was not being repurposed for supporting either a transitional living facility, emergency housing or a seniors’ home.

Under proposals submitted by the construction firm On-site Engineering Services, the Pembroke facility is to house retail and office space as well as a workshop, a warehouse and dormitories for up to 12 staff.

The three-storey government property on The Glebe Road has been derelict for decades.

Mr Fahy said that while he was happy for businessman E.R. Burrows, who is reported to be behind the proposal, he found it “beyond strange” that the disused building was being leased to a private business given the overwhelming need for housing on the island.

Mr Fahy claimed it was unlikely that the proposed dormitories would go to Bermudian workers.

He said he had written about Bishop Spencer for the Bermuda Sun in 2008, calling for it to be converted into emergency housing.

During his tenure as Minister of Home Affairs during the One Bermuda Alliance government, Mr Fahy said he made headway on the issue, working on a solution with the Ministry of Public Works and the Salvation Army in 2014.

He said: “At one point I also discovered that plans had in fact been drawn up, I believe pro bono to repurpose the building for the greater good.

“In the end, for various reasons, the project did not move forward. This was very frustrating.”

He said several factors including internal government processes requiring a Request For Proposals for management over the new facility, a lack of government funding and running costs, which the Salvation Army could not take on at the time, had contributed to the project falling apart.

He added: “It is my view the building is actually suitable for social programmes. It should have been repurposed to help solve our social issues.

“With 1,100 homeless or facing homelessness, we need to be far more willing to think differently and do things differently.”

Mr Fahy proposed a full audit of all disused government-owned buildings.

He said they should be earmarked for social programmes, commercial projects and private housing for full transparency.

He questioned: “Why is the Government hanging on to so many properties that cannot be properly managed or maintained when there are serious issues facing our community?”

In 2011 the building was earmarked for emergency housing under the Progressive Labour Party, but plans proved too costly.

In 2020, the building was ruled to be “surplus” to requirements and the Government asked for expressions of interest from the private sector to repurpose it.

Under the proposed business plans, the property will be reclassified from a non-residential institution category to mixed-use — retail, business and temporary accommodation.

Dormitories would occupy the basement and ground floor, “serving as temporary/transitional housing with fluctuating occupancy”.

The Government has been approached for comment on Mr Fahy’s statement.