Nottingham based CPMG architects has boosted its education portfolio after being appointed as lead designers on its second batch of schools under the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) in the East of England which will be delivered by Wates Construction.
The £33m contract was awarded by the Department for Education to Wates to deliver the rebuild of six schools across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent, this adds to the Midlands batch awarded in February that CPMG are also working on and brings the total number of schools they are designing on this programme to six. CPMG will be working closely with Wates, the Education Funding Agency and the schools to develop designs for the new facilities ahead of the building works.
CPMG is also working with Wates on the £16m new build of The Quest Academy in South Croydon that has just been granted planning permission. CPMG has utilised the innovative ADAPT school building model it developed with Wates to design the new school and sixth form building. The project was procured under the National Academies Framework, and CPMG worked with the Wates team to help secure the contract in a competitive tender which demonstrated the key benefits of using the ADAPT model, including the facilitation of a 21% reduction in build programme and cost savings on average 23% against a typical BSF building.
Construction for all of these projects will take place during 2013 and are due for completion in 2014.
Sara Harraway, Director at CPMG Architects said, “Our education portfolio has grown significantly this year, and we’re delighted to be working on these exciting projects with Wates and to be having a part in changing the face of schools that will benefit so many students across the UK. The Adapt School Solution is proving to be a very attractive option for both the schools, in terms of bespoke design, and local authorities, with the assurance of cost certainty and delivery to challenging programmes.”
Peter Whitmore, Business Unit Director for Wates Construction, Northern Home Counties and East, commented: “We are delighted to have been named as the main contractor for the East batch of the Priority Schools Building Programme. Addressing the urgent need for the building works requires a lean and efficient approach and we have worked hard with CPMG and the EFA to make certain that this is achieved, whilst also ensuring that the new facilities provide exceptional learning environments fit for 21st century education.”