DfE plots special needs school in Widnes

The 22,500 sq ft Raise Academy will be built by Bowmer + Kirkland if plans are approved by Halton Council.

Located on a nearly five-acre site off Naylor Road, the academy would be capable of educating 64 students aged 11-16, addressing a need in the St Helens and Halton communities.

The school would be operated by the Youth Engagement Trust on behalf of the Department for Education.

Manchester-based architecture consultancy Pick Everard designed the two-storey scheme, which includes dining and sports halls, as well as a multi-use games area, sports pitches and a car park.

If the application is successful, the school’s new car park would have 49 spaces for vehicles and three blue badge spaces. There would also be a mini-bus drop-off area, parking for powered two-wheelers and 20 spaces for bicycles. A nearby parking area on Naylor Road would be expanded to include 30 spaces, bringing the total of available car parking spaces to 82.

The Raise Academy would be constructed using modern methods of construction to reduce its environmental impact.

Nexus Planning is the planning consultant for the team, with RPS acting as building services consultant. Ares is the landscape architect.

The project team also includes Parmabrook as the structural and civil engineer, Buro Happold as the acoustic consultant and Ashton Fire as the fire safety consultant. Pinnacle is the FF&E consultant and Arup is the daylighting consultant. Hexa Consulting is the transport consultant.

Looking to learn more? The application’s reference number with Halton Council is 22/00004/FUL.