It was a great start to the new term for the Anglo European School with news that planning permission has been granted for their new school building.
The school had to close its Sixth Form Centre in February 2023 after being advised it contained reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and was a safety hazard for the students and staff. Since then I have worked closely with the school's headteacher, Jody Gee, using my Ministerial contacts with the Department for Education at the time to highlight the issues the school faced.
At the time, Mrs Gee said: “I have felt incredibly supported by the Department for Education, Essex County Council and our local Member of Parliament, Alex Burghart, in dealing with what was, at the time, a shocking realisation that we would have to close our Sixth Form centre for safety reasons. It is rewarding to think that our school is now considered pioneering by the Department, for developing successful solutions to address this critical challenge.”
However, after three years of hard work by Jody Gee and her team, planning permission has now been granted for the new school building. This is a significant development in the project and gives permission for the redevelopment of the existing school buildings, construction of a new three storey school building, canopy structure, new car park, amphitheatre, MUGA and soft and hard landscaping. The new building is significant in stature, innovative and sustainable in its design and reflects the school's unique international ethos and specialisms. It will endeavour to meet net carbon zero in operation and provide brand new, significantly improved facilities for Anglo European School students.
Mrs Gee said this month: "I am thrilled with the news that we have been granted permission to progress with this project. The new school design reflects the international, distinctive and world class education provided on this site and is well deserved by the students, staff and governors who have been at the forefront of our creative thinking behind 3 years of planning and design. We're really grateful to the Department for Education who will fund the project, to Mott McDonald, our technical Advisors and Kier Construction who will now bring these plans to fruition. Thank you to parents and members of the local community who contributed positively to the planning consultation; it's a privilege to be part of a project that will bring Ingatestone such an amazing education and community resource."
I am delighted all the hard work has paid off and look forward to visiting the school to see the building progress.
Please see the latest walkthrough video below of the new Anglo European School https://youtu.be/18cmDCtlzaY
