Hampshire County Council

Education Buildings Advisory Group

1 October 2002

Executive Member, Policy & Resources

16 October 2002 Item

Knightwood Primary School, Chandlers Ford

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Summary

1.1

A design project appraisal for a new 1FE Primary School in Chandlers Ford was approved at the Building Panel (West) on 1 December 1998. Knightwood Primary School had been operating from September 1998 in temporary accommodation and the new school was constructed during 2000. The new one form entry (1FE) Primary school, which provides 210 places, was to serve a new housing development in Chandlers Ford of some 1,400 dwellings.

1.2

Included in the design project appraisal for the new school was approval to a strategy which would allow for the school to be further extended, at a later date, to accommodate a forecast rise in the number of pupils attending the school. Therefore the school was constructed with eight classrooms and ancillary facilities (shared areas/toilets), together with staff facilities, reception and office, hall, kitchen and the required circulation and core spaces of a suitable size for a 2FE school.

1.3

A rise in pupil numbers is forecast from September 2003 and accordingly an allocation of £560,000, excluding fees, has been made in the Education Committee's 2002/03 capital programme for a scheme to provide 119 Basic Need new places.

1.4

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the proposed additional accommodation and the purpose of this report is to outline the design proposals and financial framework and seek approval to the attached design project appraisal.

2.

Scope of the Works

2.1

It is proposed to construct a single storey extension which will link to the main teaching block and to the hall/ancillary accommodation block. The extension will provide one music/drama room, one general teaching classroom, two reception classrooms, shared area between the two reception classrooms, pupil WCs, staff WC and stores. The music/drama room in the existing building will be converted to a general teaching classroom as originally intended in the design.

2.2

An area of hard paving will be provided to the eastern end of the new extension to provide a secure, enclosed play area to be used by reception aged pupils. Also included in this scheme will be the creation of ten new car parking bays to the north east of the site, adjacent to the vehicular exit on Bell Flower Way.

2.3

At the request of the school it is proposed to include the extension of the existing hard play area by some 800sqm. This element of the work will be included in the tender and the extent reviewed when costs are known. Also to be included, at the request of the school, is the construction of a PE store adjacent to the school playing field. The store will be of timber circular design with a cedar shingle roof to match the existing school.

2.4

As part of this scheme the existing vehicular entrance and car parking will be modified. The existing entrance/exit point will be converted to an exit only and a new entrance will be created at the north of the site from Bell Flower Way. Part of the existing car park will be converted to a drop-off area and these measures will enable traffic to flow through the site in a better organised and safe manner and will alleviate the congestion in Bell Flower Way during the times of the drop off of pupils. A new pedestrian pathway will be created along side the pupil drop-off area which will segregate vehicles from pedestrians and provide safe passage to the main entrance of the school. This element of the work will also be included in the tender, however, the cost of these works is not currently included in this appraisal. The County Education Officer is currently investigating additional sources of funding.

2.5

A small area of the land adjacent to Bell Flower Way and in the location of the proposed new entrance is still owned by the developer who constructed the surrounding housing. Negotiations are underway for Hampshire County Council to acquire this small parcel of land, however, it is envisaged that the transaction may take some months. It is therefore proposed that the conversions are made to the existing entrance, the drop off area be created and the new vehicular entrance be completed at the end of the building contract in August 2003, by which time it is expected that the land will have been acquired by the County Council.

3.

Procurement

3.1

It is proposed to negotiate this contract with Richardsons who successfully completed the construction of the original school in 2000 under a two stage procurement strategy. It would be beneficial to negotiate this further phase of works with Richardsons who have a detailed working knowledge of the site and of the form and construction of the original school. There would also be potential to involve the whole original team including contractor and supply chains in the development of the scheme.

4.

Funding and Timing

4.1

An allocation of £560,000, excluding fees, has been made in the Education Committee's 2002/03 capital programme to provide an additional 119 basic need new places at this primary school.

4.2

It is anticipated that works will commence on site during February 2003 and be completed during August 2003.

Conclusion

The proposed scheme will provide the required additional basic need accommodation for the projected rise in pupil numbers from September 2003. Approval is accordingly sought to the attached building design project appraisal.