The council's education committee will discuss a recommendation on Monday that formal consultation is held over the plan to build a new three stream primary.
Education convener, Cllr Laurie Bidwell said: "A new school would represent a significant investment in education in the area for the future and we want pupils to be able to benefit from improved facilities. This proposal would provide a building to meet the challenges of education in the 21st century and support our drive to help more children succeed at school.
"There is a determination to take Whitfield forward through regeneration and a new school would have many advantages for pupils, their families and the wider community. Consultation over this proposal would obviously determine the next steps to be taken."
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A report to the committee details how a new school would help improve education through a purpose-built flexible learning and teaching environment. Inclusion of the Whitfield Community Early Years Centre would enable the school to provide a comprehensive range of services on one central site.
The committee will be told that the proposal is linked to the Whitfield Design Framework's vision that the area will be a popular, safe and attractive place to live with a strong positive identity.
A new primary would be a focal point to enhance the other new facilities to be provided in the area as part of the regeneration programme. Facilities in a new school for Whitfield would include 21 classrooms, an 80 place nursery, a gym hall, drama/stage facilities, a music room, group rooms and break-out spaces.
The committee will hear that the project can be funded through a combination of £3m from capital receipts, £5.03m prudential borrowing from revenue savings and developers' contributions of £3.47m.
The project could be started in 2010 with a completion date the following year. The school would take up a site central to the regeneration developments. The report to committee shows that Whitfield and Newfield primaries are currently operating at 43% and 51% capacity respectively.
(GK/JM)
