Fresh details of a new school set to open on the site of a demolished Nottingham College campus have been revealed. Bluecoat Trent Academy, which is due to open for the 2023/24 academic year, will replace the Clarendon building in Pelham Avenue, Nottingham.
The secondary school will include a teaching block with an adjoined sports hall, catering and dining facilities, the planting of new trees, games court areas and external learning space. There will also be student bicycle, visitor and staff car parking, servicing zone bin store and a secure boundary fencing.
The overall capacity of the new school will be 1200 pupils, with the anticipated annual intake being 240. Locals said that they would be pleased to see the old college demolished and the new school opened.
Andrew Moore, 46, who works in construction and just bought a flat in the area, said he was glad the new school was moving forward. "I did not know it was even shut," he said. "When I used to go to work I would always see it.
"I know quite a few people that went there, a baker that I know went there, it always seemed quite popular and well used in the area. "It's a big piece of property, as it was a college, though I don't see why they would knock it down to build something similar. Maybe they could have refurbished it.
"I am glad that it is a school and not going to be turned into flats. It's good that it is on the main road as well." The original college building on the site was constructed in the late 1950s, with the adjoining courtyard block believed to have been added in the 1980s. Low height extensions were added in the early 2000s.
Ann Ly, 45, who has lived locally for the last five years, said: "I think it is great for this area, right now it is an eyesore really. It will be really good for the community nearby and people will be able to send their kids to a local school.
"It all looks very old, there are broken windows and it has graffiti over it now. It used to be quite nice years ago when it was still open, I was worried it might become flats so I'm happy another school will replace it."
The scheme has been procured by the DfE on behalf of Archway Learning Trust, which currently operates eight academies; seven secondaries; one all-through;and one primary in Nottingham. The developers of the school have said it will "mirror the key features of the Trust’s outstanding secondary school - Bluecoat Wollaton Academy".
Karen Piper, 68, who is retired and had just moved to Nottingham from Eastborne, said: "It is a good idea for this area, we are currently looking for a school for our grandson and it takes a while here. More choice of schools for parents is very important, definitely. It's an old and ugly building as well so I don't see many people wanting it to stay if it's closed."
In a planning document Caledonian Modular, which is building the school, said: "The proposals noted within this report have outlined the design principals considered for the new build Bluecoat Trent Academy building.
"The proposal will accommodate up to 1200 pupils and for the associated external works, landscaping and sports provisions. The new building will provide a much-needed purpose-built facility for local school pupils. The proposals represent a high quality contemporary design, which will support and enhance the character of the area, preserve neighbouring amenity and introduce a much needed new facility to serve the local community."
More than £5 million of council grants will be spent to allow for the transformation of the ex-college site in order to accommodate the rising numbers of pupils in the city. The current capacity for existing secondary academies in Nottingham will not provide enough Year 7 places for September 2021, Nottingham City Council has previously confirmed.
The planning application is currently consideration by Nottingham City Council.
