New sixth form centre approved at Leamington secondary school to cater for an expected increase in pupils

A new sixth form centre has been approved for Leamington’s Campion School along with the recladding and reroofing of the sports hall and the creation of a new multi-use games area (MUGA).

Work will also be carried out to improve access from the roundabout at the entrance to the school at the junction of Sydenham Drive with Prospect Road and Chesterton Drive. This will have to be completed before the new sixth form building can be used.

The plans were given the go ahead at this week’s meeting of Warwickshire County Council’s regulatory committee where councillors voted unanimously to approve the scheme with school numbers expected to increase to around 1,400 pupils by 2026/27.

A report considered by councillors at the meeting explained that the new developments at the school would follow some of the design elements of the new maths and science block built in phase one of the school’s expansion.

The report said: “The proposed sixth form building would occupy a prominent position in the street scene. The two-storey flat-roofed building has been designed to create a bold ‘gateway’ for the school site - elevated above the ground levels of the neighbouring road network but screened from view to a degree by the hedges and vegetation on the boundary between the school site and the neighbouring footpath linking to the Asda petrol filling station and supermarket car park.

“The development is proposed to be finished with white rendered elevations with contrasting metal infill cladding panels. There would be no overlooking or overshadowing as result of the proposed development. The design is considered to be acceptable and to make a positive contribution to the street scene.”

The report went on to explain that blue bricks would be added to the outside of the sports hall so that it would match the maths and science building and the MUGA would replace a mound just to the south of school buildings and alongside the railway line. Sport England had asked that it did impact on the existing playing field.

Building work is expected to take 56 weeks and no deliveries of materials will be allowed at school drop-off and pick-up times. There will also be restrictions on when machinery can be moved around the site.

Although 11 trees and a willow tunnel will be lost with the building of the sixth form centre, there are plans to plant 28 replacement trees on grassed areas around the car park.