Seeking a new location
Gordonstoun Nova Scotia still planned for Pictou County despite land deal not going through: Farren
A developer who wants to build a prestigious boarding school in Pictou County said his plans to bring a Gordonstoun franchise to Nova Scotia have not changed, despite news he has opted out of a potential land purchase in Abercrombie.
“We are fully committed to Pictou County and we are very excited about locating the school in the county,” Edward Farren confirmed in an email to SaltWire Network on May 17. “It is an absolutely beautiful part of Nova Scotia and is full of historic connections with Scotland, that is home to the parent school.”
Farren, who owns E.A. Farren Ltd. in New Brunswick, announced plans to establish Gordonstoun Nova Scotia in New Glasgow on March
28, 2022, after attempts to build the school in Annapolis
County fell through. While Farren has never confirmed the exact Pictou County location he was considering, a 115-acre lot owned by Blair van Veld, at 859 Abercrombie Rd., just outside of New Glasgow, was listed as pending and was speculated as being a location.
Van Veld said that was the plan, but recently the deal fell through.
“They pulled out,” van Veld alleged in an interview with the SaltWire Network on May 17.
He said Farren waited until near the end of the due diligence period to back out, saying it was not the right fit.
Van Veld said he is frustrated by the outcome.
“I just waited three months for this guy to make a decision.”
He said the deal was cancelled on May 13.
Farren said he is sorry that van Veld is disappointed.
"We will commence looking for another site within Pictou County in the near term," Farren confirmed.
Van Veld said he is now moving forward with plans to subdivide the land himself. He expects to break ground on that development next year.
Van Veld's plan is to create more than 400 residential units on the site. There will be 114 apartment units in the first phase of the development and then another 36 later on, he said. The rest will be land lease sites.
“It’s an awesome location for it.”
When he spoke to the SaltWire Network in March, Farren said his goal was for the school to open in the fall of 2024 with the school building gradually to an average enrolment of 600 students.
Gordonstoun Nova Scotia is a franchise school of Gordonstoun, Moray, Scotland, which bills itself as the world’s leader in character education. Members of the Royal Family, including Prince Philip and Prince Charles, attended Gordonstoun in Duffus, Elgin and Morayshire in northern Scotland.
Gordonstoun was the inspiration for the Outward Bound program and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.
Getting a franchise built in Nova Scotia has taken many twists and turns over the last four years.
Originally, E.A. Farren, Ltd. announced in 2018 its intention to open Gordonstoun Nova Scotia in Annapolis County at the former Upper Clements Park site. However, that arrangement was withdrawn by the current municipal council.
Despite efforts by E.A. Farren, Ltd. to keep the property, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruled in December
2021 that the previous county council had acted illegally as transfer agent for the lands.
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court further ruled that E.A. Farren Ltd. bore no blame for what had transpired. Farren has since filed a lawsuit against the Municipality of Annapolis County for breach of contract.