MULTI-MILLION POUND SCHOOL

Plans for the new Belle Vue Academy in Hyde, Manchester, designed by North East practice Space Architects. 

North East practice Space Architects is celebrating 20 years of designing schools, and has submitted plans for their 85th building – a multi-million pound school in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

The firm’s initial secondary education project in the public sector was Blyth Community College, which opened in Northumberland in 2002. Since then, they have delivered eight schools for Gateshead Council, ten for Dumfries and Galloway Council in Scotland and five schools on the Isle of Wight, as well as facilities in Sunderland, Knowsley and Hull.

Planning permission was submitted for the Belle Vue Academy, sponsored by Co-op in January and work is expected to commence on site this summer.

The school will span 8,610sqm over three floors, and will provide over 57 teaching and community spaces including an auditorium, dining areas and sports hall, in line with the Department for Education’s baseline designs.

Prior to their work in the public sector, Space Architects spent several decades designing private schools, before the then government’s PFI scheme saw significant investment in new state schools.

Paul Broadfoot, a Director at Space Architects, is leading the project. He said: “From the first client meeting in early November to full planning being submitted in January, was a remarkable achievement. It is a testament to the efforts of Sir Robert McAlpine and the design team, Manchester City Council and school sponsor Co-op.

“This building marks 20 years of school design for the practice. A lot has changed over the years in terms of the procurement, design and build of education schemes, but one thing that remains constant is our commitment to delivering buildings that improve people’s lives and make a difference to where they live, work, learn and play.

“Our work at a national level underlines the fact that from here in the region, we continue to make a positive contribution, both economically through job creation and retention, as well as flying the flag for North West creativity.

“With the current government pledging to ‘build, build, build’ over the coming years there is plenty of opportunity to continue to deliver exceptional buildings that make a real difference to local communities.”

Belle Vue Academy will be situated on the site of the former Showcase Cinema on Hyde Road in Manchester. For more than 140 years, the site was part of the well-known Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, from which the new school takes its name. A memorial stone located at the entrance to the site will be retained.

Source: In Your Area