Planning green light for school’ s energy efficient extension
Trinity Academy has been given the green light for a “Passivhaus” energy-efficient school extension.
City of Edinburgh Council granted planning permission for the extension and listed building consent was also granted for refurbishment and environmental improvement works to Trinity’s original Victorian school building that dates back to 1894 and is set within the citys Victoria Park conservation area.
The project was designed by Holmes Miller, the architects of a new-build sports and outdoor centre for Trinity Academy which opened in 2022. It also designed several other schools in the Capital, including Sciennes, Frogston, Canaan Lane and Victoria primaries.
During the consultation process, staff, pupils and the local community indicated their strong desire to retain the school’s original Victorian building, refurbish it and incorporate it into the new design.
The extension will feature a social and dining “heart” where the school can come together to socialise, collaborate and learn. The original building will connect directly to this central space, bringing old and new together, while a ‘learning stair’ will also lead from the ‘heart’ to the school’s main reception space.
Now plans are approved, enabling works – including the installation of a temporary classroom and dining units that will allow the school to remain open during the build process – are expected to begin over the coming months. Once a main contractor is appointed, several existing school buildings which are no longer fit for purpose will then be demolished to make way for the new four-storey Passivhaus extension. This will offer modern learning facilities for the school’s 1200 pupils, while also significantly driving down running costs and carbon emissions.
John Burns, who is an associate at Holmes Miller, said: “Gaining planning permission for this modern, energy-efficient facility is great news for the community both in and around Trinity Academy.
“The project not only considers environmental design requirements but also relates to the sensitive historic context and original school building.”