Northumberland County Council celebrates successful completion of £6m Morpeth school

Howarth Litchfield of Durham (HL) is celebrating the completion of another school for Northumberland County Council.

The £6m Morpeth First School, which started on site in autumn 2018, is now complete, with the school opening on time for all pupils at the beginning of the academic year.

Built on the former fire station site at Loansdean and replacing the 108-year-old Goosehill First School, the new school includes playing fields, a multi-use games area (MUGA), a main hall, staff room, offices and parking spaces which can also be used by the public for events.

The education project - for children aged five to nine - is one of several in which HL has been involved recently for NCC. The practice has worked on five other educational projects as part of the £52m reorganisation of schools in the Ponteland area, which saw its team working on schools at Heddon-on-the-Wall, Whalton, Belsay and Stamfordham.

This work has now concluded, but such experience put HL in a position to pick up this latest scheme, as HL’s director, Elisa Berry, explained: “We have a substantial portfolio of education projects and a strong relationship with NCC, so we understand their requirements and their way of working.

“This made us well placed to handle the Morpeth First School project. Working closely with the staff and the professional team to deliver the best possible education environment for the children.

“Internally and externally, we have used an exciting colour palette to help pupils identify with their classrooms. The furniture and interior design connect with the external cladding to create a lively, inspirational environment.”

Other members of the professional team include BAM, building contractor; Billinghurst George, civil and structural engineering; CAD21, services design; and Dan Patterson, landscape architect.

Cllr Wayne Daley, deputy leader and cabinet member for children’s services at Northumberland County Council, concluded: “The new Morpeth First School is a lovely building with light and bright learning spaces and fantastic outdoor areas for sports, fitness and creative play.

“We have been extremely pleased with the design of the school - which now complete has taken us a further step towards our aim of providing the highest quality learning environments for all children in Northumberland.”

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