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Willmott Dixon has been named lead contractor for a reported £50m rebuild of Oulton Academy in Leeds, following planning approval reported on 29 September 2026. The project is planned to add new teaching and sports facilities while the academy remains operational. The Carlton Academy Trust describes the scheme as a £49.5m new build, so the two published cost figures are not identical.
What is planned at Oulton Academy?
The scheme at Pennington Lane, Oulton, Leeds, LS26 8EX, would replace the academy’s education buildings with a new teaching building of two and three storeys, alongside a separate sports centre. The existing performing arts hall is to be retained, refurbished and integrated into the campus.
Plans also include new multi-use games areas, additional football pitches and landscaped outdoor learning space. The planning proposal, as described in a register-derived record, refers to replacement education buildings, retention of the performing arts centre, replacement pitches, a multi-use games area and associated works, followed by demolition of existing academy buildings. The detailed approved plans should be consulted for the precise scope.
What will the project cost?
Construction Enquirer reported a £50m project value on 5 October 2026. Carlton Academy Trust’s announcement calls it a £49.5m new build backed by a significant Department for Education investment. The £50m figure is consistent with rounding, but the Trust’s figure is the more precise one stated by the client. The sources do not specify a funding instrument or provide a cost breakdown.
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How many pupils will the rebuilt academy accommodate?
The planned capacity is reported to rise to 1,350 places from approximately 1,275. These are capacity figures, not a statement of current enrolment. Leeds City Council’s profile lists 1,132 pupils, but the retrieved result did not give a reference period, so it cannot be compared reliably with the trade report’s approximate baseline.
Will the academy stay open during construction?
Yes. Willmott Dixon’s reported approach is to phase demolition and construction over several years so the academy can continue operating, and the Trust also says the rebuild will take place while the school remains open. The available announcements do not set out a detailed phasing sequence or explain how particular activities will be managed around pupils and staff.
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What is known about the planning approval and timetable?
The application is listed as Leeds reference 25/06757/FU. A secondary record citing the Leeds planning register reports that it was received and validated on 18 November 2025 and approved on 29 September 2026. The council’s formal decision notice and conditions were not available in the material reviewed, so the approval’s exact terms and any conditions should not be assumed.
No verified construction start date, phase-by-phase programme or completion date has been published in the cited project announcements. The reported multi-year phasing describes the general delivery approach, not a confirmed completion timetable.
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Who is delivering the project?
Carlton Academy Trust names Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd as lead contractor. The Trust describes the project as supported by significant Department for Education investment. Separately, the Department for Education’s 11 June 2026 School Rebuilding Programme guidance reported 524 confirmed projects nationally and said prioritisation considers building type, condition and risks. That national programme context does not establish that Oulton’s funding comes through a particular programme allocation.
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