Manchester secondary school completes
Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine has declared practical completion of the 92,000 sq ft Co-Op Academy Belle Vue in Gorton.
The secondary school is located on Hyde Road in the East Manchester district. The 13-acre site was formerly home to a Showcase Cinema.
Operated by the Co-Op Academies’ Trust, the main three-storey building comprises a reception, community hub, library, and dining hall. It also hosts a teaching block and adjoining drama block.
A two-storey sports block will service both the school and wider East Manchester community, with separate access built for the public. The building is complete with pitches and a multi-use games area.
A 140-space car park, complete with electric charging points, was included in the development.
The 1,200-place facility was designed by Space Architects.
Tetra Tech Planning was the planning consultant for the project. BDP was the M&E engineer, and Hoare Lea was the fire consultant.
Paul Quinn, regional director of Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We are proud to deliver this new state-of-the-art school for East Manchester. The project is testament to the cooperation and positivity of our teams.
“Spaces for young people and communities to come together, learn and thrive are so important, and we hope East Manchester enjoys all that Belle Vue has to offer.”
Dr Chris Tomlinson, chief executive of the Co-Op Academies Trust, added: ““We are delighted the students can move in and start enjoying Co-op Academy Belle Vue’s state of the art new site…
“My sincere thanks to Vicki England, Project Manager for Co-op Academies Trust, Sir Robert McAlpine and all the teams involved.”
The project received planning permission in April 2021.
