Sarum Academy is set for a major 600-place expansion under new plans submitted to Wiltshire Council outlining a multi‑phase redevelopment over the next decade.

Sarum Academy on Westwood Road, Bemerton Heath, has submitted a hybrid planning application, outlining a two‑phase development that will see the secondary school grow from its current 6 form entry (900 pupils) to a 10 form entry school capable of accommodating 1,500 pupils.

The proposals include a new Net Zero science block, upgraded sports facilities and the repurposing of existing buildings to support growing demand for school places.

The centrepiece of the first major building phase is a new two-storey science block, providing seven laboratories, two classrooms, an ICT suite, a new Learning Resource Centre and specialist group rooms.

This new block will allow Sarum Academy to increase capacity from 900 to 1,200 places initially, meeting the immediate demand for an extra 300 pupils.

A link canopy will connect the new facilities to the existing school buildings, helping to create a more unified campus, something the school had raised as a priority, saying current buildings feel disconnected.

Upgrade for sports facilities

Alongside the new teaching spaces, the school’s underused grass pitch, which is often rendered unusable due to poor drainage, will be upgraded to a floodlit 2G multi-use games area suitable for hockey, tennis and athletics. The plans show the facility will be available for wider community use outside school hours.

The existing sixth‑form building, which will no longer be required after the sixth form closes in 2025, will be converted into a dedicated sports facility with upgraded changing rooms and a fitness suite, supporting clubs such as kendo, volleyball and performing arts already using the site.

Sport England has already indicated it is likely to support the application, saying the scheme meets its playing field policy requirements.

Plans for further expansion at Sarum Academy

A second building phase planned for later in the decade would see the school expand to 10 form entry, adding space for a further 300 pupils, bringing the total to 1,500.

Plans include a further two-storey teaching block, extended parking and a new grass sports pitch and soft PE space on land to be transferred to the school as part of a longstanding legal agreement.

The future building has been positioned to sit well away from neighbouring houses on Westwood Road, maintaining a 39-metre separation distance, almost double the recommended minimum in the Wiltshire Design Guide.

A public consultation held in November 2025 drew feedback from pupils, staff, councillors and residents, where students voiced strong support for the proposals.

Wiltshire Council’s planning team has described the expansion as acceptable in principle, noting the strategic need for new secondary places and the school’s location between existing and emerging communities. Officers praised the design approach, including the use of brickwork in keeping with the surrounding area and the consolidation of the school’s currently fragmented layout.

If permission is granted, construction of the new science block and sports facilities could begin as early as 2027.

Source:

Sarum Academy set for 600 place expansionhttps://uk.news.yahoo.com/major-600-place-expansion-salisbury-050000476.html

Image: Sarum Academy