Plans have been submitted to demolish and rebuild Mercia Academy and Newhall Junior School in Newhall, Derbyshire, following major structural concerns that forced the evacuation of the secondary school in late 2023.
The proposal, filed with South Derbyshire District Council on behalf of the Department for Education, outlines a phased redevelopment project that will see both schools—currently operated by the Lionheart Educational Trust—completely replaced with new facilities.
Mercia Academy, formerly William Allitt Academy, was deemed unsafe in November 2023. A temporary flat-pack modular school was put in place for its 588 pupils, but the site remains vacant and in disrepair. Under the new plans, the school will retain a capacity of 750 students and 66 full-time equivalent staff.
The neighbouring Newhall Junior School will be slightly expanded, increasing its capacity from 356 to 360 pupils and staff numbers from 43 to 51.
Demolition of the existing secondary school buildings is scheduled to begin later this month and complete by September. Construction of the new Mercia Academy is due to start immediately after and conclude by January 2027.
Demolition of the junior school is expected to start in September 2025, with the full build completed by November 2026.
The project is positioned as a long-term investment in education infrastructure, aiming to deliver upgraded facilities for students and the wider community.
