PLANS have been unveiled for a new music and arts building in the grounds of a city-centre school in York.

Bootham School has drawn up the scheme after saying the creative facilities it currently has are “cramped” and unable to cope with levels of demand, while it also plans to give its historic assembly hall a facelift.

If the proposals are approved by City of York Council, the new building would include an exhibition area for art to be displayed, a new foyer and performance areas for music, drama and dance.

A café would also be opened and a link would be created to connect the building to the school’s hall and existing music building.

A planning application which has been handed in to the authority said the project had been designed as the centrepiece of an overall development plan for the school, which has several listed buildings on its site including the assembly hall.

“The existing music and drama facilities at Bootham School are inappropriate for the current demands of the school,” said the architects for the scheme, Squires and Brown, in a design statement submitted to the council.

“Fundamental flaws can also be seen within Bootham’s quintessential listed assembly hall.

“While it is held in high regard and is used for a multitude of activities, it falls short of the modern requirements of its uses and has been highlighted in staff, parents and pupils’ consultations for its lack of social space in line with the school’s ethos and friendly atmosphere.

“It is therefore crucial that the new facility creates enhanced facilities for the music department and produces a social hub for the school, which will be indispensable for performance nights in the assembly hall.

“This exciting new building will allow students to fully explore their love of the arts and their creativity without being restricted.”

The firm also said the ideas for the new building, which would be between one and two storeys high, had received support from the local Conservation Area Action Panel. They also said the scheme would allow the façade of the assembly hall to be cleaned after it had been “neglected in recent years”.

A decision on the proposals is expected to be made by the council in November.