JohnA civic watchdog has welcomed proposals to revamp the site of Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School.
The proposed development will provide the school with a new three-storey building housing science, general teaching and dining spaces.
It looks to refurbish and remodel the existing Grade II Listed building, relocating the staff car park, associated landscaping, and the demolition of redundant buildings.
Leeds Civic Trust, a civic watchdog organisation, has said its volunteer-led planning committee is supporting the application.
Posting on social media, a statement said: “The Trust wishes to support the improvement to school buildings, particularly in an area that needs it.
“Windows of the original college are to be replaced and work carried out on the roof. The Committee note that the loss of some of the original windows have been replaced with poor quality modern windows. The new windows would be of high quality and therefore the overall work will help to preserve a heritage asset.”
Work would be carried out in three phases.
Phase 1:
New School Block – Construction of a new three-storey building housing science labs, general teaching and dining spaces with associated landscaping, MUGA and new staff car park.
Phase 2:
Grade II Listed Block (EFAA) – Refurbishment of the building envelope including all roof, facade and windows and replacement of courtyard roof, as well as internal alterations to form ICT suites.
Phase 3:
Existing Block (EFAB) – The demolition of the existing Ellerby Road school block and introducing a new landscaped area.
A planning statement submitted with the application states: “The main objective is to provide a new school building to replace the accommodation identified for demolition as well as provide high quality and compliant teaching spaces for the school.”
The new building will be net zero carbon and includes on-site energy generation and incorporates measures to reduce energy demand.
The full plans can be viewed in full here.
ESS first reported on the plans last month here.
