School re-builds get the go-ahead
PLANS to rebuild two of Doncaster's biggest schools have been given the green light by planning councillors.
North Doncaster Technology College and Don Valley High School will be rebuilt under plans approved by Doncaster Council planning committee.
The college in Adwick will have some buildings to the north east of its site demolished, while the existing main building would be kept and refurbished.
A new teaching block would be built on the west of the site, meaning buildings would be less spread out.
New parking areas and sports pitches would also be created, as well as a plaza.
Chairman of governors John Mounsey has been concerned for some time about the state of the school buildings at the site in Adwick.
Council officers say the South Yorkshire Archaeology service are happy with the amount of time they will have to look at the site, close to the site of a major find thought to be major Viking or Saxon burial ground.
The bones of 35 people were found during site preparations for the construction of nearby North Ridge Community School.
Coun Sue Bolton, who represents Adwick, was pleased to see planning permission given.
She said: "The children in this ward have a right to an education in decent buildings."
Plans for Don Valley involve the demolition of the majority of the existing school buildings, with the sports block being kept on and refurbished. New parking and sports pitches will be included.
The new block would be closer to York Road than the existing ones.
But the Don Valley scheme has attracted opposition from neighbours living close to the site, on Stonehill Rise, Scawthorpe, who are concerned about possible damage to their property from youngsters playing on the school fields.
"The main points raised by neighbours concern the proximity of the sports pitches, and the possible problems of broken windows, noise and anti-social behaviour," said a report before the committee.
"No objections have been raised to the new building itself."
Design details of the buildings will be finalised by a preferred bidder at a later stage.
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