Midlands & East Anglia

Contractors in big build-up to massive academy project

One of the largest academy projects in the country, The Lincolnshire Priory Federation of Academies comprises the amalgamation of five schools into three new first class academies – where extensive construction works have recently been completed.

The project was carried out for Lincolnshire County Council by Balfour Beatty Construction, who are carrying out the developments in three design and build sub contracts. The works are being carried out at Priory Witham Academy (£23 million), Priory City of Lincoln (£9.5 million) and the Priory LSST (£9.5 million) – all located in Lincoln.

The Witham Academy will educate children up to the age of 18 and will provide outstanding facilities and specialise in performing arts and business. This will be the first all-age school to be built in the country.

Six buildings make up the Priory City of Lincoln Academy; a main two-storey building and five single-storey teaching pods. The construction works are being carried out in two phases, with the main building and two pods built in phase one, and the remaining three pods following on after demolition of the existing buildings. The academy, which specialises in engineering and sports, will house 11-18 year old students from the City of Lincoln Community College.

At the Priory LSST, the works comprise building a boarding house for children from military families and pupils travelling from afar. The three-floor boarding house block will include 60 ensuite bedrooms and catering and common room facilities, and will have separate floors for boys’ and girls’ rooms.

Other works include the construction of a massive sports complex and the construction of a Faraday building which will house a planetarium and stables for 10 horses.

Work on the overall scheme started in September 2009 and was completed in August 2011.

The Priory Federation Trust places great emphasis on the physical environment including design, art, sculptures and gardens. The Trust aims to continue the ‘campus’ concept to the new buildings, which comprise of single storey buildings linked by walkways and gardens.

Lincolnshire County Council spokesman Ian Jones said:”This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students in the Lincoln area. They will have access to new schools with outstanding modern facilities.”

The building of The Priory Witham Academy has been completed within budget for opening this September. The first phase of The Priory City of Lincoln Academy build has been completed on time and within budget and the second phase is due to be completed on time and in budget by September 2012. The current work on the Priory Academy LSST sports hall and dining facilities is also just being completed on time and within budget.

Balfour Beatty is a world-class infrastructure services business operating across the infrastructure lifecycle with strong positions in major markets.

The company has four market-leading businesses in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.

Balfour Beatty deliver services essential to the creation and care of infrastructure assets including investment, project design, financing and management, engineering and construction, and facilities management service. Their services can be brought together in any combination to provide an integrated capability.

The company work for customers principally in the UK, Europe, the US, South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East, who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise.

Balfour Beatty entered the UK building market during the 1970s as a natural development from its traditional worldwide civil engineering skills and delivers its national building and refurbishment services from a number of offices spread throughout the U.K.

From this network of offices, the company is as equally committed to traditional, design and build and partnering contracting as they are to the more recent government inspired procurement routes such as the PPP, Prime, Building Schools for the Future, LIFT and Procure 21.

The company also operates Balfour Beatty Refurbishment, a specialist company dedicated to refurbishment works for both public and private sector clients throughout the Greater London area.

Balfour Beatty works in partnership with customers in public, regulated and private sectors. As assets grow in scale and complexity, infrastructure owners increasingly want to work with a trusted partner who can deliver more complete solutions.

From inception to handover: the company design, create and deliver projects that directly improve lives and communities from hospitals to schools, from offices to factories, from new build to refurbishment.

The range and depth of the company’s built portfolio and expertise is becoming an increasingly important element in the company’s achievement of safe, sustainable and innovative construction solutions.

Balfour Beatty Construction has an extensive scholastic portfolio including PFI/PPP and Building Schools for the Future.

Their principal objective is to construct learning environments which inspire pupils and allow teaching staff to focus fully on the delivery of education.

They do this by promoting educationally driven designs and developing strong, lasting relationships with local education authorities, teachers, pupils and the wider community.

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