A multi-million-pound overhaul of a Sunderland secondary school has been approved by councillors, paving the way for a new teaching block, swimming pool and sports facilities.

Sunderland City Council’s planning and highways committee has backed plans for the future of Thornhill Academy in line with a recommendation from council planning officers.

The proposals are linked to the Government’s School Rebuilding Programme and include demolishing parts of the school and building a new three-storey teaching block and a new swimming pool along with refurbishments to the existing sports hall and upgraded outdoor sports facilities.

Submitted by the Department for Education (DfE) and construction firm Willmott Dixon, the application also includes a new under 11-12 football pitch, athletics facilities and the reprovision of an athletics track on existing grass playing fields along with new cycle parking provision and landscaping.

A CGI image of how redeveloped Thornhill Academy could look under plans from the Department for Education. Images courtesy of Space Architects.

placeholder image — A CGI image of how redeveloped Thornhill Academy could look under plans from the Department for Education. Images courtesy of Space Architects.

The new swimming pool and changing facilities would be available for community use and the school’s existing vehicular access would be retained and widened under the proposals along with work to increase on-site parking.

Thornhill Academy is operated by Consilium Academies and early designs for the multi-million-pound school rebuild and a new sports campus were unveiled last year.

Principal Liam Clark spoke in support of the redevelopment plans at a crunch planning and highways committee at City Hall.

He said the school was rated “good” by Ofsted and had seen a “massive increase in terms of performance” as well as noting the school’s improved reputation, improved pupil behaviour and high teacher retention rate.

How the redeveloped Thornhill Academy could look. Images courtesy of Space Architects.

Mr Clark said the achievements fell against a backdrop of “substandard facilities” and wider challenges at the ageing school site, including building repairs and flooding.

He added developers and the DfE had been challenged in good faith throughout the redevelopment process to help secure “the very best facilities for the children of Sunderland.”

A representative for Willmott Dixon added the existing teaching buildings were “no longer fit for purpose” and noted the development would “ensure the school can continue to provide a high standard of education in new, modern fit for purpose accommodation that meets current and future needs.”

Those behind the scheme previously said the majority of new-build development was located in areas at “lowest risk of flooding” and that “compensatory flood storage” would be provided within the site boundary.

Redevelopment plans for Thornhill Academy have been approved. Images courtesy of Space Architects

Following discussions between the Environment Agency, the developer and the council on flooding mitigation issues, planning documents confirm the applicant “resolved to relocate the new leisure block” to help make the scheme acceptable.

During a public consultation on the plans, concerns were also raised by some properties at Belle Vue Park about potential residential amenity impacts.

While acknowledging that the new teaching block would be moved within closer proximity to residents on the street, council planners said a “substantial distance” would still be retained between the two sites.

Consilium Evolve, another school within Consilium Academies based in a small part of the Thornhill Academy site, is also expected to benefit from the DfE scheme.

The redevelopment is expected to take place in phases with the delivery of the new school first to the south of the existing school, followed by the demolition of old school buildings and the construction of new playing fields.