Two Sunderland primary schools could move and be rebuilt on new sites

Thorney Close Primary School could move to a new site under proposals to be discussed by Sunderland City Council.

Sunderland City Council earlier this week announced first details of a host of potential projects aimed at creating a “more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland”.

Schemes include a new footbridge over the River Wear, a £9million car-park for 500 spaces on the former Vaux site and improvements to the city’s main railway station.

More details about the £198m capital spending blueprint are now emerging ahead of the council’s first opportunity to discuss the ideas.

Sunningdale School could also move to a new home.

As part of the plans, Sunningdale Primary School, in Shaftoe Road, Springwell, could move to a new £13m home around a mile-and-a-half away in Clinton Place, East Herrington.

Thorney Close Primary School, in Torquay Road, would then occupy new £6.81m premises on the current Sunningdale site.

Both proposals are only at the discussion stage and there is no timescale for when any changes would occur.

Nor is there any suggestion what would then happen to the Thorney Close site, described on the school’s own website as “spacious grounds”, close to the main A690 road.

A report to a cabinet council meeting says the Thorney Close move, which would relocate the school less than half a mile, would be “subject to approval of the proposal to relocate Sunningdale Primary School to Clinton Place”.

The same document says of the potential move by Sunningdale, which caters for children aged two-11 with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties: “The proposal seeks

to increase the appropriateness of and the capacity of the provision.”

Three other schools across the city would also receive improvements to their current sites if the proposals are approved.

New £4.8m buildings at Hetton Primary School, in Moorsley Road, would provide nursery provision and space for an additional 70 pupils.

Newbottle Primary School, in Houghton Road, would increase in capacity from 420 to 630 places as part of a £4.5m investment and cater for further 24 pupils with autism.

Barnes Junior School, in Mount Road, would receive a £2.89m new kitchen and dining block with additional studio space for dance, drama and performing arts.

The cabinet meets on Tuesday, October 15, at 2pm at Sunderland Civic Centre.