New university technical college set for approval

Planning permission is set to be approved for a new university technical college (UTC) on the site of a former council office building in South Yorkshire at a meeting next week (17 September 2019).DLP Planning, on behalf of the Department for Education, submitted a full planning application earlier this year for development of a site north of College Road in Doncaster.The go-ahead is sought to construct a new UTC specialising in advanced engineering and digital design.The proposed development would comprise a five-storey teaching block and three-and-a-half-storey sports hall, with dining below, and a four-storey lecture theatre with a roof terrace. A multi-use games area (MUGA) is also planned for the western corner of the site.The UTC would be a state-funded 750 place school for students aged between 13 and 19. The first phase is expected to open in September 2020 with the second phase handed over in November 2020.The application is recommended for approval, subject to conditions, in an officer’s report to be considered by the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council’s planning committee on 17 September.The application site forms part of the Doncaster Civic and Cultural Quarter Masterplan area and is located between Doncaster Police Station and the closed St James’ Pool building. A cinema and restaurant complex is currently under construction to the north.It was formerly the location of a 12-storey Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) office building, which was demolished in 2014. The council’s cabinet agreed to provide the site for the development in 2018.Willmott Dixon is the main contractor for the school building and FaulknerBrowns is the architect. The UTC will be part of the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust (BFLPT) as well as part of the network of UTCs, the Baker Dearing Trust.