New building
NEWS RELEASE:
21 July 2009
WORK STARTS ON LEEDS’ GREENEST PRIMARY SCHOOL
Work has started on what will be Leeds’ most environmentally friendly primary school.
The existing buildings at Bankside Primary School in Harehills will be demolished and replaced by a £9.1m state-of-the-art building. Developed by Kier Northern, the new three-form entry school will continue to be called Bankside.
It is due for completion in November 2010 and will provide modern teaching accommodation for up to 630 pupils and will include a 52 place nursery and community facilities. The project team – made up of Leeds City Council, Education Leeds, Kier Northern and the Strategic Design Alliance – are aiming for a BREEAM Very Good rating.
It will include renewable energy sources such as a ground source heat pump – which draws heat from the ground to contribute to the school’s heating system – and solar thermal hot water heating and photovoltaic cells which capture energy from the sun to be converted into electricity.
As part of the transition to the new school, the construction process will be recorded by a video documentary being undertaken by pupils to follow the progress of the new school build. Jointly run by the school council and students from Leeds College of Art, the project will focus on the environmental aspects of the building and will feature interviews with the pupils who will inherit the school on its completion, as well as school staff, the project team, BREEAM co-ordinators and community leaders.
Councillor Richard Harker, executive board member for education at Leeds City Council, said: “This 21st century learning environment will be the greenest school in the city – and is a milestone in the ongoing development of our schools. “As well as being kinder on the environment it will help to provide our young people with the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the best start to their adult lives.”
Chris Edwards chief executive of Education Leeds, said: “We have an excellent track record of creating brilliant learning environments so to build a school which is the most eco-friendly in the city is a natural next step. “We are committed to providing every young person with a place where they can learn and be happy, healthy, safe and successful. This new school will continue that tradition and ensure state-of-the-art facilities are available for the local community for generations to come ”
Kier Northern operations director Tyd Gray added: “By working closely with Education Leeds and the Strategic Design Alliance, Kier Northern have helped to develop an impressive and innovative new school. We are looking forward to working closely with the Bankside team to deliver this wonderful new school for the local community.”
