Demolition of Sunderland's St Aidan’s Catholic Academy approved ready for new state-of-the-art campus

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee, at a meeting this week, approved major plans for the future of St Aidan’s Catholic Academy in Ashbrooke.

Developers Bowmer + Kirkland were recently appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) to redevelop the school site under a national programme focused on upgrading ageing schools.

The plans for St Aidan’s, submitted earlier this year, involved the construction of new facilities, the phased demolition of existing buildings, and the “rejuvenation of the landscape”, according to submitted planning documents.

Although the project does not involve any net increase in pupils or staff, the plans include increased parking within the school site.

A new campus with two main buildings is planned, including a new three-storey main teaching block comprising classrooms, an assembly hall and a dining area, and a new three-storey combined sports and sixth form building.

The site masterplan divides the school site into zones including main buildings, an external dining area, staff and visitor parking, games courts and other outdoor areas.

Site designs include a “welcoming faith garden, a horticultural hub for community engagement, and a social family dining area for fostering connections”, along with “sensory gardens” and an “outdoor construction skills area and habitat trails”.

Access to the school site will remain as existing and temporary teaching and staff accommodation will be erected on site for the duration of the phased demolition and construction to “ensure continuity of teaching and learning on the site”.

A design and access statement from applicants said the project offers a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-imagine the campus and built environment at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, and to capitalise on its attractive setting within the Ashbrooke Conservation Area”.

A planning agent for the DfE, speaking at this week’s planning meeting, said the application would replace existing “outdated school buildings” with a “purpose-built facility that better serves the needs of its students, its staff and the wider community”.

Councillors were told the plans aim to “consolidate” St Aidan’s on one site, and that decisions around the future of the existing sixth form building at the nearby Briery site would be made in future.

A council planning condition was also recommended to provide “wider community use” of new sports facilities at the redeveloped St Aidan’s school site.

The plans won unanimous support from members of the Planning and Highways Committee at a meeting on Monday, November 25, 2024.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department, in a report published ahead of the decision-making meeting, had recommended the planning application for approval and said it would bring several benefits.

This included the plans providing a “better teaching environment, modern school buildings and potential community use of the proposed all weather pitch and multi-use games area”, as well as the plans enhancing the local conservation area and boosting biodiversity.

Other benefits of the scheme, listed in a council report, included the scheme being an “improvement upon the existing 1970s buildings” along with “sustainability aspects such as reduction in water use and high insulation standards”.

Although it was noted that the development would see “up to 30 protected trees” felled, council planners said this was outweighed by the proposed “economic, environmental and social benefits”.

During discussion of the plans this week, councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee praised the scheme.

Councillor Iain Scott said: “I’m a huge ally of these proposals and absolutely welcome the application.

“My own ward Hetton has benefited from two brand new schools and the outcomes for these kids will be exceptional, we have seen those results in Hetton already.”

Councillor Michael Dixon, who represents the St Michael’s ward where St Aidan’s is based, described the proposals as a “magnificent project”.

“My former ward colleague and now Alderman, Peter Wood, was chair of the governors of this school for many years and we have always had a close link with the school with it being in our ward,” he said.

“But it’s a city-wide good news story and I’m really pleased that we have got the application in tonight and I wish it well for the future.”

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the Planning and Highways Committee, added: “It’s a fantastic school anyway but it’s going to be even better with a new facility like this.”

A planning statement submitted to council officials earlier this year said redevelopment was proposed due to the condition of existing school buildings, which are “beyond any economically viable refurbishment”.

The planning statement added: “The proposed development is being procured under the UK Government’s School Replacement Programme, which seeks to rebuild schools assessed to require replacement based on building condition assessment.

“This programme is dedicated to the provision of high-quality learning environments in line with the UK’s latest government standards, alongside low-energy solutions delivering Net Zero Carbon in Operation.

“All of the existing school buildings on the campus are to be replaced by the new proposals.

“They have been identified by Department for Education condition appraisal to be unable to properly support secondary education, and also to be beyond any economically viable refurbishment.”

For more information on the planning application, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/01395/FDC