The Phoenix Academy to be rebuilt and 300 homes added to site
TP Bennett and Pick Everard have submitted plans to rebuild the Phoenix Academy in west London and construct a pair of residential blocks on the site containing 300 homes.
The proposals for the Phoenix Academy Trust and developer London Square would replace most of the school’s existing buildings but retain Bond Bryan’s ‘liquorice allsorts’ sixth form block, a local landmark which was completed in 2011.
Located in Shepherd’s Bush, the Phoenix Academy was established as Phoenix High School in 1982 but steadily declined, being deemed by Ofsted in the mid 1990s as one of the UK’s eight most challenging schools.
Its fortunes were turned around following the appointment of William Atkinson as headmaster in 1994, who was knighted in 2008 for services to education and community relations. It was converted into an academy in 2016.
However, the school said there is now a growing back-log of maintenance work needed on its existing buildings including a large amount of asbestos which would cost up to £40m to remove, according to cost consultant Gleeds.
The Phoenix Academy Trust said it had turned to housebuilder London Square after it was told it was ineligible for the government’s school rebuilding programme, and would not receive funding for a redevelopment from Hammersmith and Fulham council.
New academy space to be built under plans designed by Pick Everard would include a new main entrance, a sports hall, assembly hall, drama hall, dining hall, library, class rooms and a music studio.
Meanwhile, the scheme’s TP Bennett-designed residential component would span two blocks ranging between two and eight storeys in height, containing a total of 307 homes, along with a 10-space car park and 576-space cycle spaces.
The full project team includes landscape architect Exterior Architecture, civil engineer Waterman, planning consultant Quod, transport consultant Velocity, MEP engineer Hoare Lea, wind consultant WSP and townscape consultant The Townscape Consultancy.
No comments yet