Improved designs for new North Leamington School
Plans for the site of the new North Leamington Community School and Arts College have been revised following comments received at the public open presentation of the scheme and initial planning consultation.
The design team working on the school plans have relocated a multi-use games area 20 metres further away. This will improve landscape screening for new houses built close to the school boundary. Also, the access has been changed to improve drop-off facilities by providing a separate way in and way out.
Mark Gore, Head of Education, Partnerships and School Development for Warwickshire County Council, said: “This promises to be a landmark building which will have a major impact on children and young people in Leamington. Officers have recommended this exciting scheme for approval and a site visit will be undertaken by members to ensure the concerns of residents are met.
“Although the designs for the main buildings have been positively received, Warwickshire County Council has been working closely with the school and the wider community to address parking and access around the site, and the proximity and visual impact of sports areas to adjacent housing.”
The campus-style school, designed to blend into its rural context, will accommodate 1500 11-18 year old pupils and will bring together all the students who currently use four separate sites.
The plans include extensive sports facilities including a large Sports Hall complex, an all-weather pitch and a multi-use games area. All these facilities will be available as part of the schools extended hours programme for use by the community. To take into consideration adjacent property to the school site, the design team have now moved the all-weather sports pitch and the multi-use games area further away. An additional tree avenue has also been created which is intended to screen the multi-use games area from residential views and enhance the setting for the Safer Route to School.
The buildings have been designed to reach high environmental standards. 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.
Although pupils will be encouraged to use the Safer Routes to School routeway and there will be less emphasis on car transport, some concerns have been raised about the dropping off of pupils at a single access site. The masterplan drawing has now been adapted to provide one road in and one road out and a one-way circulatory traffic route through the car park.
The plans for the £26 million development on the current site of Manor Hall in Sandy Lane have been prepared through Miller Construction, Warwickshire County Council’s contractor. Whilst the County Council have yet to give a final decision to proceed, it is intended that a new school will 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, described as the hub, 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.