Sutton Council unveils new ultra-low energy Harris Academy in Belmont

Sutton Council celebrated the opening of its newest secondary school in Belmont today. Harris Academy Sutton opened to pupils in September 2018 and the official opening of the new building for 1,275 pupils marks a major milestone for the borough, costing £42million* and located in a prime area for regeneration.

Harris Academy Sutton is based in a unique, energy efficient building and is part of the £350m London Cancer Hub (LCH) development.

The ultra-low energy “passivhaus” design is a UK first for a secondary school and looks to inspire ambitious developments in the future. Passivhaus buildings provide a high quality learning environment while using very little energy for heating and cooling.

The location will place a special emphasis on the sciences, with opportunities for students and staff to collaborate with medical researchers and leading clinicians.

A number of councillors, civic leaders, academy staff, council team and building contractor Willmott Dixon attended on Tuesday 8 October to celebrate this momentous event.

Councillor Jayne McCoy, said: “I am delighted to celebrate the opening of such a dynamic, forward thinking and energy efficient school, which demonstrates how ambitious we are for the borough.

“I am excited about the opportunities that Harris Academy Sutton will offer to its pupils and the wider community in and around the borough. I would like to thank all those involved including Willmott Dixon, the team at the London Borough of Sutton and Harris Academy Sutton in working together to turn this ambition into a success.”

Sutton Council is the school developer, and the landowner of the LCH site, a regeneration partnership with The Institute of Cancer Research. The LCH will house more than 275 scientists including cancer biologists, medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, clinicians, data scientists and evolutionary scientists discovering new drugs to defeat cancer.

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