Pictured: Artist's impression of Discover Academy in Bentilee

Wates Construction has begun work on site of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's new £20m Discover Academy in Bentilee. 

The new academy, which has been designed by CPMG Architects, will replace the current Edensor High School and Technology College and Mitchell High School. The work is scheduled for completion by July 2013, in time for the new academic term in the September. 

Discovery Academy will become one of 18 school projects that will benefit from new and improved facilities over the next three years as part of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's £250m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.  

The start on site will see the demolition of the existing Willfield Conference Centre on Lauder Place, which will make way for the new 11,000 sq m two-storey education facility. 

The building will include flexible teaching spaces, improved indoor and outdoor sports facilities including an Astroturf pitch, which will be available for use of local clubs and the wider community. 

Wates Construction was appointed by the council to deliver the project through the TVW Consortium.  

Andy Hands, Business Manager for Wates Construction in the Midlands, commented: "We are delighted to embark upon this exciting project, the start of which marks a very bright future for Discovery Academy and the significant transformation of Stoke-on-Trent's educational landscape. We have an excellent site team in place and we fully intend to utilise this project to further uphold our investment in providing training and employment opportunities to maximise the positive impact on the communities in which we work. "

Sara Harraway, Director at CPMG Architects added: "After detailed consultations with the authority, sponsor, academy and community we are delighted to see work start on site bringing closer the realisation of this fantastic education facility for the children, staff and communities of Stoke."