Lib Dem council delivering new schools boost for Newcastle East (Greg Stone)

Lib Dem council delivering new schools boost for Newcastle East

November 30, 2009 11:00 AM

Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle East Greg Stone has warmly welcomed the news that the city council has concluded a deal to build new school complexes including a £23m rebuilding of St Mary's RC Comprehensive at Benton Park Road due for completion in May 2012, and the creation of a new facility at Waverdale housing Walker Technology College and Sir Charles Parsons special school. The Trinity Dene View site at Freeman Road is also being refurbished.

The new schools will also be among the city's greenest as well as its most modern, with crushed bricks from the demolished old school buildings used as a foundations and walkways. All the new schools will incorporate biomass boilers to provide renewable energy, the optimisation of daylight to cut down on the need for lighting, lights and taps that know to turn off automatically when not needed, recycling centres and cycling routes.

Greg Stone said "Heaton Manor and Benfield have already benefited from an upgrade, so I am pleased that this process is now being rolled out to include the other comprehensives in the constituency, St Mary's RC and Walker Technology College, as well as the Trinity Dene View and Sir Charles Parsons special schools. The first phase of the BSF programme has had a phenomenal effect on education in Newcastle and has led to significant improved morale and attainment in our schools.

"I am particularly pleased that Walker Technology College will benefit from a new campus as it has been severely constrained in recent years on its current site, and I would like to see consultation on options for the redevelopment of the Middle Street site for uses including affordable and/or sheltered housing."