Prestigious Shore school in North Sydney to spend $55m on new pool, gym, classrooms and parking

THE view of Sydney Harbour through the library’s floor-to-ceiling windows is stunning but a $55m redevelopment is set to take facilities at the exclusive Shore school to a whole new level.

An artist's impression of Shore school's planned improvements.

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THREE homes surrounding Sydney’s exclusive Shore school will be demolished as part of a multi-million dollar makeover adding classrooms and replacing old recreation facilities.

The Sydney Church of England Grammar School’s plans will also see three houses in Hunter Cres and William St, which are owned by the school and rented out to tenants, demolished.

But it will take up to 12 months before the school has gained development consent.

“We are replacing facilities rather than expanding,” headmaster Timothy Wright said.

“Our current pool is old and pools only have a certain lifespan.

The famous Sydney school is about to undergo some major renovations.

Shore principal Timothy Wright at a school sporting match. Picture: Jenny Evans

“It’s open air and is currently more of a recreational pool. You can’t play water polo in it, for example, and a new indoor pool will also allow the Prep school to use the pool.

“The old gym was built around 45 years ago and in Years 7 to 10 we have close to 40 PE classes.

“The basketball court can’t be used when it’s raining and basketball is very popular now. PE is now a full-blown subject and training facilities have to be upgraded.”

Deputy Headmaster Rod Morrison said: “Most classes are getting smaller, around 20-24 pupils, so we need more classroom space and it gives us the opportunity to refurbish existing classrooms and give us more flexibility. For us it’s about replacing ageing facilities and allows for better education outcomes.”

Funding for the build will be sourced from loans, fundraising, and savings the school already holds, with no money sought from government.

The stunning view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city from inside Shore’s library. Picture: Elenor Tedenborg

Mr Wright said it could be a year before detailed planning approval was agreed. He said it could take around two years for the building work to be completed.

Unlike some other elite Sydney schools which have put in plans for massive upgrades, Mr Wright said Shore was not looking to expand the number of students. There are 1230 students at Shore this year.

“We have no ambitions to grow the school. We believe one of the things we have got to focus on is to always do everything as well as we can.”

Some homes owned by the school will be demolished as part of the refurbishment.

To make a submission on the development proposals or view the Environmental Impact Statement, visit: www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au