Designs completed for new North Leamington School
The vision for North Leamington Community School and Arts College’s new buildings has now been completed by Robotham Architecture of Warwick, and the various other design consultants employed on the project.
The campus-style school, designed to blend into its rural context, will accommodate 1500 11-18 pupils and will bring together all the students who currently use the four separate sites.
Plans for the £26 million development on the current site of Manor Hall in Sandy Lane are being prepared through Miller Construction, Warwickshire County Council’s contractor. The plans will shortly be submitted to the County Council planners for approval.
The project is being run by Warwickshire County Council in close consultation with the school. Whilst the County Council have yet to give a final decision to proceed, there is an aspiration that a new school could be provided during the academic year 2008/2009.
The design incorporates three faculty blocks on the new campus, two of three stories, home to Humanities & Languages and Maths & Science, and a two-storey block for Art, Design & Technology.
The main building will host the Sixth Form, the Community Learning Centre and all the Performing Arts facilities for Dance, Drama and Music, including a 400-seat theatre. There are extensive sports facilities including a large Sports Hall complex, a full size all-weather pitch and a multi-use games area. All these facilities will be available as part the schools extended hours programme for use by the community. .
The buildings have been designed to reach high environmental principles. There will be cedar boards on the external walls and a ‘green roof’, planted with an alpine plant called sedum; rainwater will be stored for non-drinking use, and natural ventilation (not air-conditioning) will be used throughout.
Headteacher David Hazeldine said: “This is a very exciting time for the school. We have needed new school buildings on a single site for many years and we are at last nearing the day when that dream becomes a reality. This new campus will give future generations of North Leamington children the secondary education facilities that they deserve: a genuine twenty-first century school”
Cllr John Burton, Warwickshire County Council Cabinet Member for Schools said: “There are still many elements of the project that are being discussed, and we are working with the wider community to ensure that any concerns are addressed. We are submitting the plans for approval and once that process has been cleared to everyone’s satisfaction then we can then prepare a detailed schedule of building work for consideration by the County Council.”