We are excited to let you know that a planning application for demolition works at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is soon to be submitted to the Council.
The proposed demolition works are the first stage in delivering a new school building for Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and will include the demolition of the existing school building, the presbytery, garage and ancillary structures. (The main Church building will not be affected).
The demolition of the existing buildings is proposed as the buildings are in an unsafe condition and have been closed for school use since January 2023. The school is currently housed in temporary buildings both at the site and at St Bernard’s Catholic High School. During the demolition works, the school will continue to operate in the temporary school building as existing.
Phase 1 of the demolition works (currently scheduled to take place in March-April 2026) will be the demolition of the presbytery, garage and associated structures. A contractor site facility will be installed in the existing car park and works access will be from Pottery Street. The school will continue to access the site from Foundry Street.
Phase 2 of the demolition works (currently scheduled to take place in April-June 2026) will be the demolition of the main school building. An additional works access will be required from Foundry Street for this phase (separate from the temporary school entrance), with the other works access from Pottery Street also retained.
Following the demolition works, a brand-new, purpose-built school will be constructed to provide modern, high-quality learning facilities for pupils at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School. Once the new school proposals are further developed, this website will be updated and we will also hold a drop-in event in the temporary school building where you will be able to find out more and to ask any questions about the proposals. This is likely to be in December 2025.
Following this, a planning application for the site’s redevelopment will be submitted to the Council early in 2026. This will be a separate planning application to the planning application for the demolition works. Two separate applications are needed to allow the demolition works to take place as soon as possible, with the aim of completing the new school building by September 2027.
The redevelopment of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is funded by the Department for Education as part of the School Rebuilding Programme. Galliford Try has been selected by the Department for Education to design and build the new school, and to coordinate and undertake the necessary demolition works.
Please click HERE to see our summary information flyer.
Please click HERE to see our demolition plan.
Please click HERE to see our phasing diagrams.
If you have any queries, please send these to the Galliford Try project team at: sacredheartprimary.uk@avisonyoung.com
We will be submitting the planning application for the demolition works very shortly. Once the application has been submitted, it will be available to view online via Westmorland & Furness Council’s
online planning portal:
https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning/search-planningapplication