DESIGNS have been unveiled for amulti-million pound secondary school and adjoining youth centre in Stockton.

Artist's impressions of the £17.8m North Shore Health Academy and Myplace, in Norton, are now on display.

The academy will be built on land off Norton Road and will replace the former Blakeston and Norton comprehensive schools.

Facilities for the 1,050 students, aged 11 to 16, will be shared with Myplace, which includes a cafe, gym, recording and dance studio, a computer gaming area, fourcourt sports hall and an all-weather floodlit pitch.

The youth centre for teenagers and disabled young people up to the age of 25 will be known as the ICE Centre or Inspiration, Creativity and Entertainment.

The NHS is putting £500,000 into the academy, which will be the only school in Stockton to make physical education and health and social care a compulsory part of the curriculum up to the age of 16.

Chris Coady, North Shore Health Academy principal, said: "We are all very excited about the new building and can't wait to share the designs with parents and our new neighbours.

"We are committed to excellent teaching and learning at our academy and the new building is certain to support this, while the Myplace facility will open up opportunities for learning to young people and their families."

Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for children and young people, Councillor Ann McCoy, said: "This is certainly a very exciting time for the young people who learn at the academy, their families and people living close to the site where the new, modern buildings will soon take shape."

Carillion Construction Limited has been appointed through Stockton council to build the Government funded £17.8m academy. Work is expected to starting in February and a opening date has been scheduled for September 2013.

Elizabeth Shearer, Stockton Youth MP, who has been involved with the development of the Myplace project, said: "It will give young people new opportunities to make new friends and develop a wide range of skills that will help them in their everyday lives, and will create a strong foundation for their future."

The artist's impressions are on show at the existing North Shore Health Academy, Junction Road, Norton, Stockton, or call the council's school capital project team on 01642524984 or email tracey.brown@stockton.gov.uk