Green light for £38m Outwood Academy transformation
Willmott Dixon has been given the all-clear from Ashfield Council for the redevelopment of the Kirkby-in-Ashfield school in Nottinghamshire.
The comprehensive redevelopment will replace the existing 1970s school buildings with a modern, sustainable facility designed to accommodate 900 pupils and a dedicated sixth form on the 72,307 sq ft town centre site.
Appointed by the Department for Education, enabling works are set to begin early next year with the project due to complete in 2029.
Designed by ADP Architecture, the new academy will meet the DfE’s latest sustainability specification, powered by a combination of air source heat pumps and solar panels to reduce carbon emissions and operational costs. The project will also deliver a 10% biodiversity net gain, providing additional habitats to benefit the local environment and wildlife.
Along with specialist teaching spaces, the project covers enhanced sports facilities including an all-weather pitch and multi-use games area, meaning pupils will no longer need to travel off-site to access sports facilities. Post-16 education is also a first for the school.
Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “Securing planning approval is an exciting milestone for Outwood Academy Kirkby. Willmott Dixon has a strong track record of delivering sustainable schools across the country, including the UK’s first Passivhaus Plus school for the London Borough of Sutton. Our extensive experience in the education sector makes us the ideal partner for this transformational project.
“Aligning the new Outwood Academy Kirkby with the DfE’s latest output specification means the building is fit for the future. Much of the social value we deliver throughout the construction phase will be focused on helping prepare local students for their own future careers. We’ve had great successes creating sustainable schools in recent years, and it’s a privilege to continue doing so with Outwood Grange Academies Trust.”
The school represents the third project Willmott Dixon has delivered for Outwood Grange Academies Trust, following the successful completion of Outwood Academy Danum in Doncaster and Outwood Academy Hemsworth, also in Yorkshire.
A carefully phased demolition of the existing school has been sequenced to ensure the site can remain operational throughout the construction works, minimising disruption to students and staff, WD said.
The news follows the firm being awarded a £20.7m contract by the DfE to build the new Durham Academy in County Durham, replacing the current Durham Community Business College.
