Plans to tear down dated buildings at one of Ipswich’s key secondary schools and rebuild it with a fit-for-purpose teaching space have been approved.
Ormiston Endeavour Academy in Defoe Road, formerly known as Thurleston High School, submitted a planning application in January to demolish the main school building and create a brand new teaching space.
It was submitted under the Department for Education’s Priority Schools Building Programme aimed at revamping schools in urgent need of repair.
The plans for Ormiston Endeavour went before Ipswich Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday morning, where they were given unanimous backing.
Head of school Jamie Daniels said: “We are delighted that the planning application submitted for the regeneration and rebuild of the Ormiston Endeavour Academy site, in conjunction with the Department for Education, has been approved.
“The application is part of the government’s Priority Schools Building Programme and will enable us to create new high-quality learning spaces which will provide further excellent opportunities for our students and help us raise standards even higher.
“The new site will enable us to implement sustainable improvements across the school buildings, which will support teaching, learning and our overall vision to continue to deliver the highest quality education to all students.”
The school will continue to cater for around 900 pupils from school years seven through to 11.
The first phase will see the new building created on the existing tennis courts, before the second phase sees the old building, which dates back to the 1960s, torn down.
Five floodlit multi-use games areas will be created on the land once the current building is demolished.
The new building will provide 30 classrooms; including science labs, music rooms, an ICT suite, art and drama space and rooms kitted out for design and technology lessons.
Other facilities will include a multi-purpose hall, kitchen and dining hall and other activity studio.
The sports hall at the front of the site is set to be retained.
Alan Gunne-Jones, planning consultant for the school, said the new build would reduce the ongoing maintenance costs which the aging building was incurring, and allow more funds to be pumped into teaching.
With approval secure, work is set to begin on April 29 and is to be completed in the two phases over two years.
Councillor John Carnall from the planning committee, said: “I strongly support this proposal.
“I think the government Priority Schools Building Programme is intended for cases like this, and the opportunity to improve what I used to call Thurleston School is one we should grasp.”
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