Scarborough College reveals plans to demolish school block to build new classrooms

Scarborough College, on Filey Road, has applied for planning permission to demolish an existing teaching block that currently caters for the teaching of art and design technology.

If approved by North Yorkshire Council, the single-storey structure which has “reached the end of its natural life” would be replaced by a new teaching block.

The existing building, which was constructed in the latter half of the 20th century, is around 365 sq metres in size whereas the proposed new structure would have a footprint of 640 sq metres.

Scarborough College is based in a Grade II Listed building and caters for boarding and day pupils of ages ranging between three and 18 years.

According to the school, there is a requirement for additional teaching space and “coupled with the age and condition of the current single storey teaching block an opportunity has arisen to replace it with a new building of increased footprint” which woul allow for the creation of additional classrooms.

The proposed replacement would be a lightweight steel framed building with cementitious cladding to replicate the colour and texture of the brickwork and stonework of the main school buildings.

Due to a “responsibility to prevent winter heat loss and summer overheating” the northeast and southwest elevations would not be fully glazed but would consist of large windows surrounded by highly insulated cladding, while the roof would also be highly insulated to prevent heat loss and gains.

Additionally, the new single-storey property would create an under-croft which would be used as an external enclosed area for storage.

The applicant concluded: “As a building of architectural merit, Scarborough College is a significant attribute to the local townscape and it is vital that such a significant building is maintained to the highest standard particularly given Scarborough’s standing as one of Yorkshire’s most significant tourist destinations.”

North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the application which is currently pending consideration.