Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust to replace Hempland Primary School

Plans have been submitted to City of York Council to replace Hempland Primary School on Whitby Avenue.

The school, operated by the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, currently has a part-one and part-two storey building, which has been its home since it was established in the 1960s.

But plans submitted to City of York Council say the 60-year-old building “has passed its functional life.”

ISG Construction Ltd has submitted the planning application on behalf of the Department for Education under its UK-wide School Rebuild Programme.

The full application seeks to demolish the existing school and “construct a new high quality, two-storey school building with ancillary play space, parking and playing fields.”

The new building will be sited so construction can take place before the existing buildings are demolished on the 2.3ha site.

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• Government includes Hempland Primary in schools rebuilding programme

The two-storey building, would be 2,198sqm spread over two storeys, replacing the existing school buildings of 3,410sqm.

“While this is a net reduction in floorspace, the quality of teaching space will be enhanced and standardised throughout. The new school block will consist of 15 classrooms, 1 Staff Room, 1 Large Hall, 1 Small Hall, 1 LRC and 1 Food Science, as well as servicing and administration spaces.”

Planning documents also said: “A new playing field will be created to the north of the site to mitigate for the playing field loss to the existing playing field. The school will be contemporary in appearance with a bio-solar green roof. It will be Net Zero Carbon in operation.”

Parking would increase from 25 to 35 cars, and remaining at 80 bikes, in a new car park to thee north east. There would be ‘substantial’ landscaping.

Pupil numbers are expected to remain at 420, along with staffing staying at 40 full-time and 20 part-time (50FTEs).

“This is merely an improvement of facilities,” the application continued.

Presentations to Heworth ward councillors and local residents last month saw the redevelopment welcomed and seen as ‘long overdue.’

The application added the scheme would “ensure that pupils and staff are provided with modern teaching facilities which meet national teaching standards.”

READ MORE:

• Hempland Primary in York rated 'good' by Ofsted

The approved contractors were keen to start work as soon as necessary permits (Planning, Building Regulations etc) were received.

The application concluded the project was ‘sustainable’ and “compliant with national and local planning policy and will ultimately improve the quality of education service which will be provided to the pupils at Hempland Primary School.”