Work starts on “world-class” £37m school campus in Belmont

The construction of a £37m primary and secondary school campus that will provide “world-class” facilities for more than a thousand County Durham children is underway.

The campus will accommodate new buildings for Belmont C of E Primary School and Belmont Community School, on Buckinghamshire Road. The three-storey secondary school and two-storey primary school will be built on the existing sports field, before the current buildings are demolished.

The project, funded by Durham County Council, will ensure school provision in Belmont keeps pace with growing demand for places.

Cllr Ted Henderson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “We’re delighted to be delivering this major investment in new schools for Belmont, which underlines our commitment to giving children and young people in County Durham the best start possible in life.

“The existing buildings are well past their best and are too small to meet the growth in demand for places in the area. The new buildings will accommodate more pupils and will provide ultra-modern and inspirational learning facilities fit for the demands of a 21st century education.

“By keeping them both on one site, children and staff will continue to benefit from close working between the primary and secondary schools. We want the very best for our children and young people and to maximise their chances of achieving and fulfilling their potential.”

The design and siting of the new campus will enable both schools to continue to operate from their current sites during construction. Belmont Community School will have capacity for 900 pupils, while the primary school will accommodate up to 315 pupils plus early years provision.

Kirsty Harrison-Brown, headteacher of Belmont C of E Primary School, said: “The new campus will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to bring together our nursery and primary children in one state-of-the-art building.

“This will have a transformational impact on the lives of our young people and the community. We are very much looking forward to the future and to the wonderful prospects this will provide for our Belmont family and community.”

Belmont Community School headteacher, Paul Marsden, added: “The new build will give everyone in the Belmont School community a much-needed boost in these difficult times. It is great to have something exciting and positive to look forward to. This brand new, world-class campus will be of great benefit to the whole community for generations to come.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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