London,
09
August
2013
|
16:51
Europe/London

Planning permission granted for new academy in Hackney

Mossbourne Victoria Park

More than 800 new secondary school places are set to be created, after Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy was given the go ahead by the council's planning committee.

The new school will be built on the site of the former Cardinal Pole school, incorporating the original 19th Century building with a modern, four storey block.

 

 

 

Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Hackney Council
We're delighted to be able to build a brand new secondary school in an area of our borough where demand is projected to be particularly high in the coming years. Mossbourne Victoria Park is one of the ways we're planning for the future to make sure we can meet this need with high quality schools. Despite this being an immensely complicated project involving a compact site and a listed building, with a very limited budget from the government, we've been able to adapt the plans to take on board residents' concerns. I hope this means we'll be able to satisfy both residents living near the site and the families who desperately want reassurance that there will be a good, local school to which they can send their children in years to come. Mossbourne Academy has achieved some phenomenal results and I'm sure its second school will do equally as well.
Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Hackney Council

During an informal consultation, some residents raised concerns about the positioning of the new buildings, so the council and its architects, Jestico + Whiles, went back to the drawing board and altered the plans in response. 

Planning consent was granted at a meeting on 31 July and – pending the necessary final approvals by the GLA and Secretary of State -  work will soon begin, to allow the school to open to pupils in September 2014.  

The original building will provide general teaching facilities, including the library, while the former chapel will be used as a multi-functional drama space. 

The new building will accommodate a sports hall and assembly facilities, which will be open to the public. Dining, performance and specialist teaching facilities will also be housed in the new building.