Plans to rebuild outdated school approved

It is hoped the new building will open in two years' time

The long-awaited redevelopment of a "tired" school described as requiring significant improvements has been approved.

Framwellgate School in Durham will be rebuilt to replace the current outdated facilities.

Work is expected to start in the coming months, with the new building welcoming pupils from September 2027.

School staff said the development would provide a "high-quality learning environment" with specialist teaching spaces for ICT, technology and science to be be built at the new three-storey site.

Most of the existing buildings will be demolished except the sports hall, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The newbuild will also allow the school to increase its pupil roll from 1,375 to 1,600.

'Old and tired'

The school was identified for redevelopment by the Department for Education's School Rebuilding Programme in 2022 after repeated reports of flooding, severe overcrowding, and health and safety issues.

Many classrooms onsite were previously described as being inaccessible.

"Our school was designed and built predominantly in the 1960s and is old and tired, and very poorly designed," former headteacher Andy Byers said.

Councillor Mark Wilkes, local Liberal Democrat county councillor, said locals had campaigned for a new school for two decades.

Durham County Council's planning committee unanimously approved the scheme.

The rebuild will be phased to ensure pupils can continue to be educated on site.