Millions of pounds will be used to fund additional school places and new buildings at a Rushcliffe school.
Nottinghamshire County Council says it is “essential” that Toot Hill School in Bingham is expanded due to the large number of new homes approved in the area.
In 2020, the council agreed to the “principle” of expanding the number of places at the secondary school by 150 pupils.
The expansion of school places will be partly funded with £2.99m of section 106 money, which is paid by developers to mitigate the impact of new housing on local infrastructure.
But the plans are estimated to cost £5m in total, and the council says the remaining costs are proposed to be paid by the authority’s School Places Programme.
Papers published ahead of the Communities Committee on April 20 show that the school is also in need of “substantial investment and refurbishment” due to its physical condition.
It is expected that the sixth form and technology blocks are the only parts of the existing site which will be retained.
The works will be led and funded by the Department for Education’s School Rebuilding programme (SRP).
Work on the site is expected to start in late 2023/early 2024 and will not be complete until late 2026/early 2027.
The school will remain in operation while the works are carried out.
Council documents stated: “The driver for the need for additional secondary school places is the significant increase in housing stock (around 1000 new homes are being built in the area) in Bingham and across the Rushcliffe East Planning area.
“Proposed expansion projects at South Notts Academy and South Wolds have been identified as also helping to address the shortfall, but the Toot Hill expansion is essential.”
Councillors will be asked to enter into an agreement with the Department for Education for the rebuild of Toot Hill School.
