Demolition plans lodged so school can be replaced

Plans have been lodged to demolish Thornhill Academy in Sunderland

A secondary school could be knocked down to make way for a new teaching block with a swimming pool.

Plans have been put forward by the Department for Education (DfE) to demolish Thornhill Academy in Sunderland so students can make use of "enhanced facilities".

The new development will include a number of additional sports facilities, such as football and rugby pitches.

The DfE's application said the new building was needed so it could "provide high-quality education in modern, fit-for-purpose accommodation".

The redevelopment of the school, on Thornholme Road, will also include refurbishments to its existing sports hall and pitches.

The current games fields will remain, but pupils will also benefit from a new pitch for under-11s and under-12s games.

A new athletics track, high jump, javelin and shot-put as well as long jump facilities will also be built on the playing fields.

The existing caretaker building will be retained while the roads to the school will be widened.

The DfE said the academy had been selected as part of its ongoing programme to ensure schools were operating to "appropriate standards".

Last week, hundreds of pupils were evacuated from the school after a gas leak was discovered.

A section of the school's car park was dug up on Thursday in an attempt to fix the leak and pupils are expected to return to class on Monday.