Hampshire County Council

Education Buildings Advisory Group

11 March 2003

Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel

26 March 2003

Executive Member - Education

27 March 2003

Executive Member - Policy and Resources

10 April 2003

Elvetham Heath Primary School, Fleet

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1.

Summary

1.1

At the 11 April 2002 meeting of the Executive Member - Policy and Resources a design project appraisal for the construction of a new 1 Form Entry (1FE) Primary School in Fleet was approved. The school was set up in temporary buildings from September 2001 (to accommodate the primary aged children living on the new Elvetham Heath housing development) and work to construct the new school commenced during August 2002 and is due for completion during July 2003.

1.2

An allocation has been made in the Education Committee's 2003/04 Capital Programme to extend this school by a further 210 places. This would enable the school to function as a 2FE and would accommodate the predicted rise in pupil numbers attending the school from the surrounding new housing development in Elvetham Heath.

1.3

It is intended that the new 1FE primary school opens for the new term in September 2003. The work to extend the school by a further 210 places, to create a 2FE primary school with a capacity of 420 places, will follow on from the completion of the new school in the summer months.

1.4

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services has progressed the design of the proposed new accommodation and the purpose of this report is to outline the design proposals 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 to the western elevation of the original school building. The new accommodation will adjoin the school via a ramped link / corridor which accommodates the slope on this site and ensures disabled access is maintained throughout the school. The extension will be in linear form from north to south across the site to mirror the line of the original school building. The link corridor, which will also accommodate an ICT Suite, will enable the creation of two courtyard areas. The new extension will match the form and materials of the original school.

2.2

The proposed extension will provide the following accommodation: ramped link / corridor, ICT Suite, 6 classrooms, shared areas, deputy head teacher's office, pupil WCs, Accessible WC, circulation areas, stores.

2.3

Landscaping will be undertaken to extend the formal hard surfaced play court, construct new informal play areas adjacent to the new accommodation and planting to the perimeter of the new building and in the two courtyard areas. The courtyard to the north will be primarily used by pupils as an additional hard play area and for external teaching and the courtyard to the south will be used by staff as a quiet area. Soft grassed areas will be created which can be developed by the school at a later date (as part of a potential Landscape Development Plan). A screen of planting will be added to the western boundary of the site to separate the site from the adjacent car park.

2.4

Following the completion of this second phase of work it is proposed that the temporary buildings be removed from site and the temporary vehicular and pedestrian access, off Turners Way to the north of the site, be reinstated. The temporary car park, turning head and gates will be removed and vehicular access will be retained to enable maintenance of the playing fields and external areas.

3.

Procurement

3.1

In line with the report to the Buildings, Land and Contracts Panel on 26 March 2003 it is intended that this scheme be negotiated with TSL Construction, the contractor currently working on site to construct the new 1FE Primary School. This arrangement will enable continuity for the construction of the new school and would avoid the need for two contractors to be on site at the same time. The contractor is performing well with the work and has a good working knowledge of the site and rates previously used for the new school can be applied to this next phase of works, thus achieving economies of scale.

4.

Funding and Timing

4.1

An allocation of £1,120,000, excluding fees, has been made in the Education Committee's 2003/04 Capital Programme for the proposals outlined in this design project appraisal.

4.2

Subject to the necessary approvals it is anticipated that work will commence on site during June 2003 and be completed during February 2004.

Conclusion

The proposed scheme will enable the required amount of additional accommodation and will create a 2FE primary school with a capacity of 420 places. Approval is accordingly sought to the attached building design project appraisal.