This is how a £20M Benton Park School rebuild could look

Blueprints for the reconstruction of Benton Park School in Guiseley expect the new-build to have space for 1,500 11-16 year olds, and are expected to be completed in time for the 2022/23 academic year.

The plans would increase the school’s capacity by around 275 pupils.

A design and access statement submitted as part of the plans also contains artist’s impressions of the proposed new build.

It follows Leeds City Council approving funding for the scheme last year, when the authority agreed to grant around £20m was granted to the scheme.

The school was forced to temporarily close earlier this month following damage to the roof cause by high winds.

According to the plans, the new facility will ‘house traditional classrooms, specialist teaching spaces, sports hall, performance hall and multifunctional community facilities’.

It added the demolition of the majority of the Benton Park School would

make way for a new all weather pitch.

However, the current Block 7 of the school would become a dedicated sixth form centre with pedestrian links to the new building.

A new car park, external play areas, while renewable energy technology and ‘sustainable design principles’ are expected to make the building more environmentally friendly.

The document concluded that the school hoped to move pupils over to the new facilities in phases between September 2021 and July 2022.

At a meeting discussing the funding for the project back in February 2019, Leeds City Council’s the authority’s executive member for education Coun Jonathan Pryor warned the city faced a £100m backlog in school repairs, while a senior council officer claimed the authority could soon need the equivalent of ‘one new high school per year’ if increases in the number of pupils in the city continues.