'Starship Entreprise' school set to be bulldozed

Kingswood College of Arts, on Hull's Bransholme estate, began life as Perronet Thompson secondary school in 1988 and became Kingswood High School in September 1999 before assuming its present name six years later.

On its launch it was billed as a school of the future and even won a prize from the then Department of Education and Employment.

But the "vandal-proof" windows were soon broken, and according to a former headteacher "you either froze or it was like a Thai sweat shop".

Councillors have approved plans to demolish the building and replace it with a new school accommodating more than 1,300 pupils. The new school is expected to be ready next September.

Councillors also approved the relocation of Oakfield Special School to the current Archbishop Sentamu Academy site on Hopewell Road as well as rebuilding Andrew Marvell Business and Enterprise College on its existing Barham Road site.

The cost of rebuilding a single secondary school as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme is roughly 25m.

David Martin, BSF project director said: "I am delighted that a further three of our schemes have been given the go-ahead by the city council's planning committee. This shows full confidence in our schemes and our commitment to design and build exciting transformational school buildings to benefit the whole city."