Academy rebuild moves step closer (From Gazette Series)

Winterbourne International Academy rebuild moves step closer

11:29am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Alexandra Womack

THE multi-million pound rebuild of an academy in Winterbourne is a step closer this week after the government approved the first stage of development.

Winterbourne International Academy has already secured £19.2million of funding to demolish dilapidated classrooms and build state-of-the-art facilities in their place. And on Monday, the Department for Education (DfE) approved feasibility work on the build to go ahead.

South Gloucestershire Council’s director of education, Therese Gillespie, told a meeting of the authority’s cabinet: "A programme has been agreed by the DfE and The Ridings’ Federation of Academies (which runs Winterbourne and Yate academies) and it has been agreed that the programme will be managed by the council’s property services."

Concern was raised that the agreed funding may be time limited but Ms Gillespie said this was not the case.

"There are not any issues at the moment surrounding the timing with which they money has to be spent," she said.

"I can give assurances the council will not suddenly be surprised and have to push a planning application through."

She added: "We have to go through various processes but this is the first hurdle."