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New Academy Plans

The plans for the new Kettering Science Academy building have been revealed.

Parents and local residents attended the special consultation event on Wednesday, May 5th.

And there was a positive response to the plans from those who attended.

Claire O'Rourke, of Kettering, has a son at Millbrook Primary School and said she is considering sending him to our new Academy following attending the consultation event.

She said: "I've been considering this school along with another, but now I have come here I am really impressed. I like the faculty system and I think it is going to be a great school."

Following 18 months of planning and working with designers contractor Wilmott Dixon Construction was last month appointed by the Local Education Authority to carry out the build.

It is hoped that work will start in the Autumn with the doors opening to the new £26m Academy in September 2012.

A planning application was submitted to the Local Authority on May 28th.

The secondary building will be replaced by a state of the art new development and when complete the current school site will be used for car parking.

The building is set to become the greenest building ever built in the county.

An onsite Geothermal heating system will be linked to the building's thermal mass; photovoltaic cells will convert solar energy into electricity; data screens will display to students and users the energy usage of the building. 

These technologies will reduce the need to take energy from the national grid and help the Kettering Science Academy to make huge energy savings compared to the running costs of other academies in the UK.

Jeff Foster, Project Manager at Willmott Dixon Construction, said: "This use of cutting edge technology is going to lead to one of the lowest carbon buildings that we have produced.

"We are using sustainable technologies that are proven in other parts of the world but are not commonly used within this country as yet.  It is the combination of these technologies into one facility that makes for such a unique and exciting design.

"The new Kettering Science Academy building will be one of the lowest carbon buildings that has ever been built in Northamptonshire."

Peter Simpson, Executive Principal of the academies within the Brooke Weston Partnership, said: "We are delighted that the proposals put together by Willmott  Dixon are so energy efficient; being both kind to the environment and also enabling the Academy to be able to make significant cost savings over the years to come."

As well as the green elements the new £26m Academy building - which is funded by government - will be one of the most innovative buildings within the Kettering district.

Project Development Leader for the Brooke Weston partnership, Matt Isherwood said: "We hope that the Academy will become a building that generates a strong sense of civic pride."

Built over two levels it will feature state of the art facilities, such as a 450 seat theatre, extensive facilities for sport and the building will be Wi-Fi enabled throughout.

The science faculty will also feature two 'Super Labs' to enable students to thrive within the Academy's specialism.

The building will merge elements of its successful partner Academies Brooke Weston and Corby Business Academy and it will follow the proven learning and teaching ethos employed by both.

To keep up-to-date with all the plans for the new building, visit www.wdc-ksa.co.uk.