A three-storey building and sports centre extension is now complete at Greenfield Academy in Newton Aycliffe, after Esh Construction was appointed to deliver the scheme in June 2025, aiming to regenerate the quality of education for its students.
Planning permission was granted in late 2024, and the old school building has now been replaced with inspiring modern facilities, placing a major emphasis on providing students with ‘every opportunity, every day.’
Now featured within the new school building are 19 state-of-the-art classrooms, including specialist hubs for IT, art, design & technology and science, whilst the new sports centre extension will now allow the Academy to open its doors for community use outside of school hours.
Grant Watson, Construction Director at Esh Construction, said: “We are incredibly proud to have completed the construction of the new school building and sports centre extension at Greenfield Academy. This project has allowed us to bring our expertise in delivering high-quality educational facilities to County Durham, delivering inspiring spaces where students can thrive now and in the future.
“This milestone is a true reflection of our collaborative partnership with Durham County Council and the Advance Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust, and we look forward to seeing how this new space will benefit students for years to come.”
Four classrooms are situated on the ground floor with an extensive design and technology department, while the first floor hosts 12 classrooms, staff rooms and three meeting rooms.
The second floor has been transformed into the Academy’s dedicated science department, with two studios, three laboratories, a preparation room and chemistry studio, bordered by a further three classrooms. Toilet facilities are located on all three levels.
James Keating, Executive Headteacher of the Academy, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be taking ownership of our new building, and the children are incredibly excited to begin enjoying the fantastic new facilities it provides. This marks a significant milestone in the journey of Greenfield Academy. The academy now has the high-quality learning environment our children deserve, and these facilities will play a vital role in supporting both the school and the wider community for many years to come.”
Esh Construction was appointed to deliver the project by Durham County Council, and has worked alongside Howarth Litchfield Architects, BGP, KYOOB and Gemini to ensure energy efficient, low carbon options were factored into the development, with photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps installed to futureproof facilities.
Durham County Council helped to fund the new education hub and updated facilities alongside the Multi Academy Trust, providing upgraded facilities for up to 750 students.
Cllr Cathy Hunt, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s service, said: “We are pleased to see the construction of the new, modern Greenfield Academy reach its next major milestone. This new school building and sports centre extension demonstrate the state-of-the-art facilities that will be available to students in and around Newton Aycliffe, along with the hard work by Esh Construction to deliver at-pace and to a high-quality.
“We’re excited to see the further developments and benefits that our partnership with Esh Construction will bring to this site.”
Complementing the new build project, Esh’s commercial build division was also awarded a refurbishment contract to carry out upgrades to the existing facilities as part of a phased approach to modernising the school estate.
Refurbishment works completed in September and were run in several phases to minimise disruption to school operations. The initial phase saw works carried out to the music and drama classrooms, before moving onto the main hall, reception, dining, and kitchen areas in later phases.
A full roof replacement has been carried out including new insulation and weatherproof membranes, as well as upgraded ceilings and floor finishes, full decoration, and the installation of new partition walls to form additional teaching spaces.
Esh’s commitment runs way beyond the construction site. Through its award-winning Constructing Local strategy, £10,000 has been donated to local charities and community groups in the Durham area. Industry placements – from work experience to T Levels – spent a combined 36 weeks with the business, with 168 weeks spent on site by apprentices, demonstrating the businesses commitment to inspiring the next generation of construction workers.
Following on from the construction of the new school, a three-month demolition programme will commence to safely bring down the old school buildings. Following this, Esh’s civil engineering division will commence the remaining hard and soft landscaping works to the remaining areas of the site in early spring 2027.
