Cornwall Council has approved plans for a new £16.5 million state of the art building, designed by HLM Architects, for the specialist performing arts Brannel School in St Stephen near St Austell.

The new school is needed to replace existing Brannel School buildings, which have aged beyond economical repair.

The new facilities will provide 6,622 sq m (about 71,000 sq ft) – roughly the size of a football pitch – of teaching space and associated facilities, including a performing arts space, multi-use games area, all weather sports pitch, outdoor amphitheatre and a specialist unit to cater for students with special needs.

It is intended that the school will achieve the sustainability rating BREEAM Excellent. Work will start on site in early 2010 and the new school is expected to be completed for the start of the 2011 academic year.

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The plans were submitted in September following several months of close consultation by HLM Architects with staff, pupils and Cornwall Council’s education department.

Headteacher Ray Bell is delighted with the progress of the project: "Consultations with pupils, staff and the local community have gone really well.

"Architects HLM have been superb in the planning process, working in close partnership, to help us to realise our vision. Everyone is confident that we will have created a very special place of learning in just over 18 months" time."

Caroline Buckingham, Director of HLM Architect’s Plymouth office said: "The new, state of the art facilities at Brannel School will have an immense impact on the China Clay area, providing more access for the whole community to lifelong learning.

"It will be a welcoming and exciting place for learning, providing students, staff and the local community with a healthy, challenging, inspirational and transformational learning environment.

"The designs provide flexible accommodation to allow for the inevitable changes that will occur during the building’s lifetime. ICT infrastructure will be integrated throughout the new facilities to enable personalised learning and to take advantage of new classroom technology as it emerges."

To keep disruption to a minimum, the new school will be built on the current playing fields directly behind the existing school. The existing building will then be demolished once students have transferred to the new accommodation, with a small part of the existing school to be retained and refurbished into a sports changing facilities, a staff work base and fitness centre.

(GK/BMcC)