Construction work underway at £6.5 million new school
Released: 5 December 2007
Work has begun on a state-of-the-art new school in Wolverhampton. The brand new St Luke’s CofE primary is a flagship project in the regeneration of the Blakenhall area of the city. It will allow the existing infants and juniors, which are currently on separate sites, to be together in the same building.
Land for the new school became available when tower blocks on the old Blakenhall Gardens Estate were demolished. Funding of £6.5million was secured from the Department for Children, Schools and Families after a bid by Wolverhampton City Council, Lichfield Diocese, the All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development (ABCD) regeneration scheme and the school governing body.
Builders Thomas Vale Construction began preparatory work on site this week and the project is due to be completed by Spring 2009.
The new school has been designed by architects Architype who have worked closely with teachers, parents, pupils and the wider community. Their brief was to come up with a building that was not only suitable as a 21st century school, but also a real centrepiece of the neighbourhood. It will contain extensive community facilities.
The building will allow in plenty of natural daylight and at the heart of the school will be a central atrium space which will lead off to classrooms and other facilities. The design as well as the choice of building materials will make the school highly energy efficient.
Councillor Christine Irvine, Wolverhampton City Council cabinet member for schools, said: “This new school is at the heart of the vibrant, multi-cultural area of Blakenhall which is undergoing massive regeneration. This new school will be a wonderful flagship building that will educate children and provide a hub in the community for all sorts of activities.”
Harmesh Mal, chairman of the ABCD New Deal for Communities regeneration scheme, said: “I am thrilled to see work beginning on the building of the new St Luke’s School and ABCD is delighted to be working with all of the partners on such an exciting project. The new school will really give youngsters from the area a great start in life and we can look forward to a positive future thanks to exciting ventures such as this.”
The Rt Revd Clive Gregory, Bishop of Wolverhampton, said: “It is very exciting that this new school will be at the heart of the regeneration of Blakenhall. The extensive community facilities will ensure that the school is a hub for the wider community.”
Steve Rayner, schools buildings officer for the Diocese of Lichfield, said: “The board are grateful for the close support of the city council in promoting and helping to develop proposals for the new buildings. The diocese welcomes the whole approach to minimizing the impact on the environment promoted by the school and their design team.”
Issued by the press office.