Archway school redevelopment plans

Planning application reference: S.06/0967/LA

Provision of new technology and entrance block, new carpark and associated works.

Archway is a Community Comprehensive School with a wide range of community facilities - it has 1161 11-18 year-old girls and boys with room for up to 1249 pupils. The majority of Archway buildings are from 1961 with some additional buildings added in the last 4 years like the Sports centre and some temporary classrooms. The school was named after the recently preserved Freedom Arch which was built to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

The roofs are largely flat and the buildings do not make any attempt to fit with the Cotswold landscape - the site has also seen piecemeal development over the years so it lacks uniformity. Few could describe the buildings as attractive and for years the school has managed valiantly in these poor quality buildings.

In 2004 the LEA were at last successful in getting £6.25 million from the DFES to start replacing some of the outdated buildings. This first phase hopes to see a new main reception entrance, a new design technology block to replace existing facilities that do not comply with current DFES guidelines, new hard play areas, new car park, internal remodelling of the building and facilitate removal of all the temporary accommodation from the site. None of the work is designed to increase student capacity.

The plans were on show yesterday at Archway but can also be downloaded from the Stroud District Council website.

A decision is expected early June.