ESFA and the Laurus Trust appoint a contractor for three new schools in North West of England

Following a competitive tendering process under the ESFA’s national contractors’ framework, BAM Construction North West, which is based in Salford, has been selected as the contractor to deliver both Cheadle Hulme Primary School, Laurus Cheadle Hulme (an 11-16 secondary school)  and Didsbury High School (an 11-18 secondary school).

The combined Cheadle Hulme and Didsbury schemes are valued in excess of £40 million.

The Laurus Trust runs the Ofsted outstanding and hugely oversubscribed Cheadle Hulme High School which is rated in the top 3% of all schools nationally, according to the government’s Progress 8 assessment measures.

Work has just commenced on the schools located in Cheadle Hulme. The scheme completes in February 2019 but the schools will be open from September 2018 providing much needed additional school places in Stockport.

Both Laurus Cheadle Hulme and Cheadle Hulme Primary School draw on the same design team that BAM used for the highly regarded Kearsley Academy scheme. IBI is the design partner, while Mott MacDonald provides civil and structural engineering services, Ramboll the building services engineering, and Spacezero the interiors and fixtures, fittings and furniture (FF&E).

BAM is currently developing the design for Didsbury High School, which is a brand new high school and sixth form for 1,350 students. This requires planning permission, and the design team are working on an application to be submitted before Christmas.

If this is successful, work will start on site around May next year, with the new school due to open in September 2019. These dates are all subject to planning approval being achieved and a full contractual appointment being made.

The design team again draws on Spacezero and Ramboll. The architect is Pozzoni and Dally Henderson is providing landscaping. Mace is providing technical advice for both the schemes.

Ian Fleming, Regional Director for BAM Construction, said: ‘Education is a key market for BAM. Our track record is excellent, and our highly collaborative approach works well for schools.

It is also a sign of great trust that the ESFA and Laurus Trust felt able to appoint us for both these schemes, showing that we have started to build the kind of understanding and confidence that drives a successful construction partnership.’

A further school, Laurus Ryecroft based in Tameside, forms part of the batch with Laurus Didsbury, encompassing a 1,350 place secondary school and sixth form. The ESFA is currently working with BAM to develop the initial proposals. BAM has partnered the same design team as for Laurus Didsbury.

BAM has just been appointed to both of the high value lots for the new ESFA national education framework running from 2017 to 2021.

Further information: Mark Slattery, Press and Media Manager, BAM Construct UK Ltd, 01442 238415.