Council set to take major step towards a new £50m high school in Berwick
Plans to build a £50m new high school in Berwick have reached a major milestone.
The outline business case for the long-awaited project has been published by Northumberland County Council and is expected to be approved by cabinet next week.
It means procurement for the construction contract will be able to get under way as soon as October, with the aim of approving a contractor in the spring. It is expected that the new build will be completed by September 2028.
The budget for the project, which includes upgrades to local first schools to fit into a new two-tier model, has increased by £5.2 million to £64 million. Of this, £50.91 million is earmarked for the new buildings at Berwick Academy.
In comparison, the council invested £50 million in Seaton Valley to create a new “super school” consisting of the middle school and high school.
A report set to be presented to the cabinet next Tuesday outlines how the current building would require significant investment to bring it up to standard.
A maintenance backlog of £13 million currently exists, with the Department for Education responsible for those costs. Due to the fact that Northumberland County Council is not responsible for the school, it has requested that funding goes towards the construction of the new school.
The Government has previously said it will make a decision on whether to provide that funding after the approval of the outline business case.
Cllr Guy Renner Thompson, cabinet member for education at the county council, believes the construction of a new school will benefit a huge swathe of the county.
He said: “We are delighted to be bringing this paper to cabinet. It will be a massive milestone and a huge step forward for our Berwick Academy plans.
“Subject to Cabinet and Full Council approval, we will be providing the full £51m needed for this transformational new build, with the procurement process starting later in the year.
"We should have spades in the ground next year and the new Academy open to pupils from September 2028 – securing the future of education in the Berwick area for years to come.
“This should be hugely positive news and everyone can be reassured we remain committed to supporting all our children, young people, their families and school staff over the coming years as the new build takes shape.
“This is the next chapter in the regeneration of Berwick town itself which benefits the whole of the north of the county.”
Cllr Georgina Hill, Berwick East, who successfully secured a budget amendment in February 2021, to double the proposed investment for a new school also welcomed the news. She had previously feared the council would backtrack on its original plan.
She said: “I have been frustrated about the delays and even feared, at one point, that the project was not going to happen or would at least be severely watered down.
“However, this is all now extremely positive and great news for the town. I am delighted that the NCC Administration are set to commit to this major investment in our new school despite the failure of the Government to provide any support.”