Amble is set to become the latest town in Northumberland to benefit from brand new, state-of-the-art education facilities after plans to demolish the existing James Calvert Spence College (JCSC) and build its replacement were given the green light.
The project was granted planning permission at Tuesday's meeting of Northumberland County Council's Strategic Planning Committee. It means £39 million will be injected into the Coquet partnership of schools following an agreement to switch to a two tier system.
Under the proposals, the existing buildings will be demolished along with the former caretaker's cottage and a series of outbuildings. Meanwhile children from Amble First School along with those currently at James Calvert Spence Middle School under the age of 11 will be moved into a new primary school at the refurbished middle school.
The primary school will also host a 26-place nursery and a 50-place SEND satellite provision for Barndale Special School, based in Alnwick. It is the first SEND provision in the Coquet partnership of schools and means children will no longer have to travel from outside the area for education.
Speaking at the meeting, JCSC headteacher Neil Rodgers explained the need for the new facilities.
He said: "Amble and the surrounding villages have lots of new housing and the population continues to grow, bringing new families to the area. Those new families, I believe, need education facilities that are fit for the modern age.
"What we currently have is a building finished in the early 1980s and that has not seen much investment since then. What was thought of as good education provision back then has not really stood the test of time.
"Our children - your children - deserve better. Now is the right time to invest and make sure or schools remain good."
The plans were recommended for approval by council officers. Despite concerns raised over the schools new floodlights for the playing pitches, the plans were unanimously approved by councillors. Coun Barry Flux praised the high level of sporting facilities at the school, and made reference to some of Northumberland's most famous sporting stars.
He said: "It's all very clear in my mind. I'm delighted to see that there's loads of football pitches, and I think of Lucy Bronze, and all the things that the future Lucy Bronzes could do. I think of Bobby Charlton from just down the road, and of course his brother Jackie Charlton.
"I really like that there's loads of sports provision. We need to get behind them and support this."
The build follows new schools built in Prudhoe, Ponteland and Hexham since 2016, with plans to build more in Berwick, the Seaton Valley and Cramlington.
Coun Trevor Thorne added: "I'm delighted for Amble that we're getting this new school. It is only right and proper that these facilities are distributed all across the county."
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