Work starts on new £60m Kings School campus
WORK has started on the new £60m campus for King’s School with artists impressions released to show what it will look like.
Contractors are at the 80-acre site on Alderley Road, in Prestbury, which is expected to be completed in May 2020.
It will unite the school’s three current sites - the other two are on Cumberland Street and Fence Avenue in Macclesfield centre - into one.
Consultants for the development Pick Everard have created impressions of the future school campus, complete with pupils and headteacher Simon Hyde superimposed onto them.
The project is being funded by the sale of these two other sites on which it is proposed to develop more than 200 new homes.
Natalie Clemson, an associate director at Pick Everard, said: “The school selling its existing sites to fund the project has freed up valuable land in the town centre for housing.
“This in turn will address the town’s need for additional housing and provide significant economic growth.
“The new building will score highly on environmental management, responsible construction, resource efficiency, low energy and water use with a reduced carbon footprint.”
When finished the new school, which has 1,200 pupils and 300 staff, will have 350 rooms in a 16,000sq m building as well as a new sports centre.
Facilities will include a 25m, six-lane swimming pool, a six-court sports hall and indoor cricket centre, five new rugby pitches, one rounders field, two astro turf hockey pitches and six netball courts.
It is described as the most ambitious project in the school’s 516-year history.
Mr Hyde said: “We are extremely keen to ensure that our legacy is a positive one both for the school and Macclesfield in general.
“The development of a mix of sustainable housing close to the town centre will hopefully continue to bolster the attractiveness of Macclesfield as a place to live and support the many new shops and businesses currently taking root.”
John Kennerley, chair of governors at King’s, said: “We are delighted to be able to launch our 2020 vision for King’s. It will enable us to develop further community use of the school.”
Vinci Construction UK Ltd is the project’s lead contractor.