St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy, Derby
DHA Planning and Tilbury Douglas were proud to secure planning permission for a new state-of-the-art primary school in Darley Abbey, Derby. At the 2025 Education Estates Awards, the completed school was awarded the prestigious Judges' Special Recognition Award, recognising its innovative approach to sustainable school design.
St Mary’s is the first school in the UK designed to meet the Department for Education’s GenZero specification, setting a new benchmark for sustainable school design. Sustainability is embedded throughout the project, with passive design principles minimising energy demand, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) using Structurally Insulated Panel (SIP) systems enabling efficient delivery and reduced construction waste, and rooftop solar panels designed to meet 100% of the school’s energy requirements. Embodied carbon levels are also significantly below the targets set by the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, demonstrating a commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the education estate.
Alongside its environmental performance, the design prioritises the wellbeing of pupils and staff. Guided by biophilic design principles, the school incorporates extensive landscaping, full-height glazing and views across outdoor spaces to strengthen connections with nature and create an inspiring learning environment. Now completed and operational, St Mary's demonstrates how education estates can successfully combine sustainability, innovation and inspiring design to create places where young people can thrive.
Project Team
Laura joined DHA in 2004 as part of our original Graduate intake. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Geography and Sports Science from Loughborough University, and an MA in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Westminster. She is also a member of the RTPI.
Laura Jackson MA
Associate Director
Over the years Laura has been involved in a vast range of projects, including various applications and appeals, with her area of expertise now within the education sector and public houses.
She leads the entire portfolio of the planning permission and highway license business for DHA, involving hundreds of Public House sites throughout the UK.
Some of Laura's recent projects include:
- Greene King Portfolio
- Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School
- Hornchurch Leisure Centre
- New Live Fire Training Facility at Ashford Fire Station
- Dover Grammar School for Boys
- Major development at Mornings Mill Farm – Public Inquiry
- Cable Wharf Primary School
For the past 30 years, Laura has played hockey for Maidstone Hockey Club. However, she recently hung up her astros and has taken up running instead. She completed the London Marathon in April 2023 and the London Big Half in September 2023 and has plans to complete more races in the future.