The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Plans handed in for Phoenix School upgrade
A proposed development to the Phoenix School which would create 54 new places is expected to be decided on in October. The suggested plans from Frank Shaw Associates would see a new block built on the current Orton Tunnel Play Centre site which would house the school’s sixth form.
This would then free up space on the main school site for the extra 54 school places.
There is a need for more places at the special school and extensions on the existing site have been exhausted.
The new site would be located around 640 metres to the south-east of the main site.
The decision on whether the plans go ahead is expected to be made by Peterborough City Council in October with the building works, if approved, being completed 12 months later.
Residents were invited to attend a public consultation evening in July. No cost can be provided at the moment as financial and commercial terms are still to be agreed.
The Phoenix School was established in September 2004 with the merger of two special schools in Peterborough.
“I think it’s going to be good for the area. The school needs more places,” said Lisa Forbes, councillor for Orton Longueville Ward.
“I’m happy with the proposals. The school is outstanding and a real asset to our city and I’m glad they have somewhere to expand to.”
In a statement, the Orton Community Association said: “Of course we were saddened the Tunnel had to go, but could understand why and agree that a new sixth form building for the Phoenix would be a good use of the land.
“We were offered a com- munity building on the new site, but we realised the room being offered would not be suitable for us.
“The city council have offered us an alternative buildi ng, The Goldhay Centre, where the current tenants will be leaving in March. But we are unable to take on the lease for this building.
“We are hosting a farewell to the Tunnel fun day on August 30 at noon, and hope people who have used the Tunnel will come and say goodbye.”
Brian Howard, the council’s head of schools infrastructure, said: “We have been working closely with Orton Community Association for a number of months. We will be helping the organisation to relocate mid-September.”