PLANS for a temporary educational facility at a North East school have been given the green light.

Back in September 2021, Sunderland City Council’s planning department validated a planning application for Burnside Academy, in Houghton-le-Spring.

This included siting temporary buildings on existing playing fields to allow education to continue on site as the main building is repaired.

According to a revised planning statement prepared for Burnside Academy  and submitted to the council, the school previously experienced “structural settlement” following recent pumping and drainage works.

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This resulted in the building becoming unoccupied in March 2021 and pupils being transported by coach to other schools within the academy trust “whilst following the same curriculum with the same teachers and peer groups.”

A statement on the school’s website confirms Burnside Academy is currently “closed temporarily for health and safety reasons.”

New plans aim to allow children to continue their education at the Burnside Academy site while repair works take place at the main school building.

Following consultation, Sunderland City Council’s planning department gave the go-ahead to the temporary school facility on Wednesday, October 27.

The hub will be constructed from blocks of portable buildings arranged in a cluster – with three temporary classrooms, a kitchen pod and an administration base / staff area.

The remainder of the playing fields will form open space for the pupils’ recreation during break times with general access to the new temporary school being taken from Leyburn Grove.

As part of the planning approval, a range of conditions have also been set out for the temporary educational facility.

This includes planning permission being granted for a limited period of six months and the buildings being “removed and the land reinstated to its former condition” after the use ends.

In addition, a noise assessment and details of extraction/ventilation to the food production area must be submitted and approved by the council’s planning authority.

The planning statement prepared for Burnside Academy goes on to say: “Planning permission is sought to allow the temporary school buildings to be in place for up to six months.

“This is expected to be the longest period of time the temporary school buildings will be required as repair works are expected to be completed within a period of time less than six months.”

For more information on the application, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search planning reference: 21/02019/FU4

 

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