Hills Christian Community School and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College unveil upgrade plans worth a collective $14m

Two Christian schools are the latest campuses to unveil plans for major upgrades with more than $14m in works revealed in the latest projects.

Upgrades worth a collective $14m are nearing at two Christian schools, as they seek to offer new specialist centres and cater for growing demand.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College at Enfield is planning a project worth up to $10m, while at Hills Christian Community School in Verdun, a $3.7m overhaul is on its way.

Plan SA has released the designs for both sites for public consultation.

Hills Christian Community School is planning a two-storey building with general learning areas and a specialist music centre.

An artist's impression of plans for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College upgrade.

Principal Tony Fielke said the school was growing after incorporating its senior campus, previously at Oakbank, into the same site as the younger year levels.

“Music hasn’t been a big focus (previously) but we’re really keen to ensure that students that are aspiring in areas of excellence have an opportunity to do that,” he said.

“The students who do music tend to be students who are highly engaged in learning and we want to ensure that those students feel they’re being supported in their learning.”

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College is planning to spend up to $10m on upgrades. Picture: Supplied

The school has two classes in each year level up to Year 9 and is gradually expanding its senior school to accommodate the dual classes.

This year’s project follows a $5.4m upgrade to establish the secondary students in Verdun, completed in November 2020.

If Adelaide Hills Council approves the latest stage, building work could begin next month, with the new areas complete in the first half of next year.

Also planned in future is a new, uncosted development, focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Plans for Hills Christian Community School expansion.

Hills Christian Community School has 570 students, and that number is expected to rise to 630 by 2026.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College’s upgrade features a new gym and performing arts studio.

Principal Maria Urbano said her school commemorated its 70th Anniversary last year and she was pleased it could celebrate the milestone with plans for the new building.

“We are very excited about the new building for the wonderful opportunities it will provide our girls,” she said.

Hills Community Christian School will have a new specialist music area.

Building work is expected to begin in the second half of this year and take 8-10 months to finish.

The gym would be built in the project’s first stage, along with a dance studio and two general learning areas.

The school will later go on to build the performing arts centre, along with a specialist music area including a rehearsal room, theory room, tutorial areas and a prop and costume store.

Plans show the proposal will not change the number of staff or students.

A letter attached to the plans, from consultancy firm URPS, says the school accommodated 425 students last year and the college has a cap of 620 pupils.

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