East Sussex County Council’s Lead Member for Children’s and Adults’ Services, Cllr Keith Glazier, will perform the cutting of the first turf on Friday (27 July).
The new school, planned for a site between Thomas Peacocke Community College and the Love Lane allotments will replace Tilling Green Infant School and the Freda Gardham Community School and will provide up to 330 places for pupils.
The existing Children’s Centre based in the Freda Gardham Community School will be replaced with a brand new building next to the new primary school. The project for the new school and children’s centre will cost more than £6m.
Cllr Glazier said: “I am absolutely delighted that after so much planning and discussion we have now been able to start work. The town of Rye really needs this new school which will provide a much better learning environment for the town’s young people. It will be a state-of-the-art building, and together with the new Children’s Centre, will be a fantastic 21st Century resource for the community.”
More than two years work have gone into the proposals for the new school and children’s centre and the local community and existing schools have been consulted by the county council at various stages. An exhibition of the draft plans was held in November 2006 and as a result of comments received several changes were made and the revised plans were submitted in March. Planning permission was granted in June.
Construction work is expected to complete by next summer to enable the new school to open in September 2008.
Notes to editors
The new school and children’s centre will be built on a raised platform above the highest predicted flood level. Its modern design will be built to the latest Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and county council specifications and will include several environmentally-friendly green features including a green Sedum roof, high levels of insulation and low energy light fittings. It will also be assessed under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
The site meets DCSF requirements in terms of both internal and external space and the two-storey design will enable the best use of the available land. It will also feature a two-storey corridor to give natural lighting and ventilation throughout.
A new pathway, cycleway and footbridge will create a route from the west side of Rye to the school to keep road traffic to a minimum. The Sports Centre car park will be redesigned and used for dropping off at the school and parking for staff, and the existing bus turn-round loop will be enlarged.
The scheme has been commissioned by the Children’s Services Department and procured by the Corporate Resources Department of East Sussex County Council. The architects are NPS Property Consultants Ltd and Morgan Ashurst, formerly Bluestone plc, have been appointed as the contractors.
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