St. Modwen To Deliver New South Derbyshire Primary School As Hilton Garage Site Reaches Completion

News
12/12/2018

Expert developer and regeneration specialist, St. Modwen, has begun its build of the new Mease Spencer Academy in the same month that its 12,000 sq ft storage site for Hilton Garage has reached completion.


Construction of the school, which will be opening its doors in September 2019, has now commenced and will cover approximately five acres. The primary school will have capacity for 210 pupils and will be set over a single story, with classrooms for each year group and a series of core spaces. Mease Spencer Academy will initially be single form entry, with potential to expand in the future.


The seven-classroom academy will boast an abundance of facilities including a sports hall, library, football pitch and an all-weather multi-use games area.


Meanwhile, St. Modwen has completed its four acre, purpose-built Hilton Garage development. A leading car sales business, Hilton Garage has traded for over 40 years in the local area and the new development will provide facilities for the preparation and storage of vehicles, enabling the business to further thrive.


The Mease Spencer Academy forms part of the planning permission – granted by South Derbyshire District Council in 2015 – for the redevelopment of the site including 485 new homes, new employment opportunities and strategic open space.


To date, approximately 100 new homes have been completed by St. Modwen Homes, with the remainder to be built over the next few years. The school is a key part of the development and will be a vital contribution to the local community.


Steven Smith, Senior Construction Manager at St. Modwen, said:

“Once the school is complete, it will be a great asset to the local community, providing spaces for local children to learn near to home. With the addition of new houses, it’s vital that we provide appropriate infrastructure to accommodate new and existing families in the Hilton area.

“Foundations are currently being laid, the steel frame will be erected in the coming weeks, and the roofing works will be completed by the end of this year. We’re full steam ahead and are looking forward to delivering a quality building that youngsters in the Hilton area can benefit from and enjoy when the new school year begins next September.”


St. Modwen has been working with Derbyshire County Council to ensure the school is designed and built in line with Department for Education guidance and specifications.


The county council’s Cabinet Member for Young People Councillor, Alex Dale, said: “We’re delighted to hear that work has started on Mease Spencer Academy, which is set to be a fantastic new school building for students and staff as well as the wider community.


“We’re committed to making sure that all Derbyshire children and young people are able to thrive, learn and get the best possible start. The new school will help to give a firm foundation on which students can build a bright future and we look forward to following its progress.”


Julia Hart, who will be headteacher at Mease Spencer Academy when the school opens, said:

“We're really thrilled that the building of the academy is now underway. We can't wait to see it take shape over the coming months and are looking forward to next September when we'll open our doors to our first pupils and their families.”


For more information, please visit www.stmodwen.co.uk