ONE of three east Cleveland schools is to be bulldozed to make way for a city academy.

Last September, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council amalgamated the three schools in rural east Cleveland - Warsett in Brotton, de Brus in Skelton and Rosecroft at Loftus, to establish Freebrough Community College.

The authority was under pressure to find a solution to the problem of surplus places and declining numbers in the east Cleveland area.

However, while the authority was in the process of applying to central Government for permission to carry out the amalgamation, the idea of a £15m city academy was raised. It is being funded by sponsors from the private and voluntary sectors, providing about 20 per cent of the initial capital costs, with the Department for Education and Skills providing the remainder.

The initial reaction from parents shows they are enthusiastic and supportive of the plan, which aims to improve educational achievement among youngsters from deprived backgrounds.

Redcar and Cleveland council does not have any other land in the area which is suitable to develop the academy, so it is proposing to build it on the site of one of the current schools.

Ian Jeffrey, lead councillor for Lifelong Learning and Leisure, said it was important to get the project moving if it was to reach its opening day target of September next year.

"I have got to stress that there is no front runner or a pre-determined favourite. We have got to do a significant feasibility study for the development first.

"The plan is to have major satellite provision in the other two sites and we are hoping to have minor satellite provision at some of the villages.

"I also think if we have state-of-the-art education provision, I hope it will encourage younger people to stay in the area and send their children to the local school."

The proposal will be discussed at a council executive meeting next Tuesday