More than £2.5m spend on improvements to school buildings and facilities across North Northamptonshire to be discussed next week

11 August 2023

The latest round of school buildings and infrastructure improvements worth £2.664m will be discussed by North Northamptonshire Council next week.

Members of North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC) Executive will meet on Thursday 17 August to consider the funding for a host of improvements to facilities and classrooms at primary and secondary schools in the area.

The funding is made up of the following:

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Grant.
Basic Needs Grant, the money local authorities receive each year to make sure there are enough school places for children in their local area.
What is known as S106 Development Funding. Required by law from land developers who are obliged to pay money towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure.

Proposed projects across North Northamptonshire include:

Adding an extension to The Avenue Infants School, Wellingborough, at a cost of £859,800. If agreed the school will start the process of finding builders in the coming months.
Replacing a double mobile classroom with permanent classrooms at Great Doddington Primary School at a cost of £996,300; if agreed, the proposed works will be completed by September 2024.
The more general projects listed below, at a proposed total £807,999, if approved, will come solely from S106 Development Funding. Each one is listed below alongside the specific development.
Land at Weldon Football Club, Oundle Road: £79,552, towards the provision of additional school places at Weldon Village School.
Land at Weldon Football Club, Oundle Road: £90,013, Towards the provision and/or improvement of secondary education facilities at Corby Business Academy.
Land off Stanion Lane (Phase 3): £41,270, Towards the provision of facilities or additional capacity at Corby Old Village Primary School.
Land Adjacent 43 - 65 Chapman Road, The Embankment: £22,785, to fund extensions and/or improvements to the All-Saints C of E Primary School in Wellingborough or any successor or alternative facilities to that school.
Finedon Road (Sunseekers Site) - The Lanterns: £554,380, For the maintenance improvement or enhancement of education facilities in Irthlingborough which would benefit children of school age who would be expected to live in the dwellings constructed pursuant to (this) planning permission.
Addington Way: £20,000, For the purposes of providing additional Primary & Secondary school accommodation at schools in whose priority area the site is situated.

Cllr Scott Edwards, Executive Member for Children, Families, Education & Skills, said:

“It is vital that the council and the businesses which develop land in our area invest in our schools’ infrastructure.

“Young people deserve to study and learn in buildings with facilities which are fit for purpose and this latest programme of works will ensure that we are all committed to this goal now and in the future.”

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council, said:

“This investment is all part of our long-term commitment to improving school buildings and to ensuring that businesses which develop land in our area bring with them facilities and infrastructure for the future.

“Investing in our schools is a policy we’re absolutely committed to and one that we acknowledge brings benefits for the whole community down the line.”