CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a £44m academy school and leisure centre under one roof have gone on show.

Architects' drawings of proposals for Consett Academy’s new building on the Belle Vue site are available for viewing at the town’s library, despite an ongoing legal challenge to have the land registered as a village green.

If approved the state-of-the-art building will house the new school, swimming pool and gym with pupils and leisure centre visitors using different entrances.

Today (Monday, October 22) parents of pupils at the two schools which have already been merged were able to view the proposed development at an exhibition at the new academy’s north campus.

John Shaw, who would prefer to see the development on the former steelworks site, also has reservations about combining the facilities under one roof.

He said: “Apart from the obvious potential security problems of mixing pupils and public, there will clearly be an overall reduction, probably more than 50 per cent, in the combined facilities of what we have now.

“Two schools with community sports facilities and a sports centre are all being replaced by one sports centre.”

Meanwhile, former Derwentside District Council leader Alex Watson, who also favours the steelworks site, has written to the Audit Commission and Education Secretary Michael Gove about Durham County Council’s determination to develop the Belle Vue site.

He said: “This has cost the local authority at least in excess of £34,000 and still they pursue this as the sole site for development. Surely, any prudent planner would begin to consider a plan B so as not to waste any further taxpayers money.”

If the development goes ahead, Consett Amateur Football Club, which is based on the site, will move to a new Unibond-standard stadium at Crookhall, next to Tesco at Delves Lane.

Club chairman Frank Bell said: “Our belief is that many people who initially had reservations about it seem to be coming round to the idea, not least the parents of the 700 youngsters aged from six upwards who play for Consett's junior teams.”

John Widdowson, principal of New College Durham, the lead sponsor of Consett Academy, said: “We look forward to a speedy resolution of the planning issues which remain outstanding so that we can get on and build the new school the young people and community of Consett deserve.”

The plans will be on show in library until next Monday and people can send comments to the council by emailing: bsf@durham.gov.uk