Ghost school closes before it opens!
Government ministers have withdrawn funding from a net-zero ‘ghost school’ in Nottingham amid a pupil shortfall in the area.
The new-build Waterside Primary Academy was due to open this year offering places for 210 pupils and 30 nursery-age children.
However, the Department for Education has now withdrawn funding after the Greenwood Academies Trust, which was to operate the school, received only a handful of applications.
The building, which was designed by HLM Architects and constructed by Reds10 is now lying empty, with the trust now looking for alternative uses.
Designed under net-zero carbon guidance, the school has extensive sustainable features including air-source heat pumps, solar panels, and windcatchers for natural ventilation.
It formed part of the Department for Education’s £3bn Offsite Schools Framework, which aims to build 30 schools annually using low-carbon construction methods.