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New school building
contracts to be awarded
CONTRACTS worth almost £9 million
are set to be awarded for construction work on 2 schools in Liverpool.
It will see Kier Construction building a new £7 million home for Palmerston
School on the site of the current Aigburth High on Minehead Road. Aigburth
High is moving to a brand new building on Childwall Abbey Road in Childwall
in April 2016.
The current Palmerston School, located on Beaconsfield Road in Woolton, is
reaching the end of its life and does not have any suitable external
recreation facilities.
The new single storey building will accommodate boys and girls aged 11 to 19
years with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple needs, and
will be completed by April 2017.
It will include a sports and dining hall plus a new hydrotherapy and splash
pool together with sensory learning spaces.
Meanwhile, St Margaret's Church of England Academy in Aigburth is to get a
new £2 million teaching block which will house a food technology lab and
drama hall/theatre opening in time for the start of the new academic year in
September 2016.
The two schemes are part of the Mayor's Liverpool School Investment
Programme, in which £169 million is being spent on 17 new and refurbished
schools right across the City.
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for education, Councillor Nick Small,
said:- "The current Palmerston School is past its sell by date and
although the teaching is excellent the staff and pupils are hampered by the
lack of outdoor space and modern learning facilities.
The work at St Margaret's will enable them to extend their range of academic
and vocational courses, giving students more choice in the subjects they can
study. We will be working closely with the construction firm to make sure
that as much of the sub contracting work as possible is spent locally to
benefit firms in the City Region."
Kier estimate that 85% of the spend will be in Liverpool with another
10%across Merseyside. They will also be creating 9 apprenticeships as part
of the scheme.
Palmerston School Principal Lis Burbidge said:- "The staff and pupils
are delighted about the prospect of the new school and are already planning
how we will use the exciting new rooms and outdoor space."
Principal at St Margaret's Academy, Stephen Brierley, said:- "We are
thrilled and deeply grateful for the investment that will be taking place in
our buildings over the next few months.
In its many years of existence, St Margaret's has never had any facilities
to teach practical food lessons, but thanks to the generosity of the
Mayor's fund, future generations of students will be able to learn these
vital skills practically, and on site.
Our new drama space will provide an excellent opportunity for budding actors
and actresses to learn their craft too.
The entire school community is very much looking forward to the new
facilities that are so generously being provided for us."
John O'Callaghan, managing director of Kier Construction's northern
operations, commented:- "We are delighted to have been chosen for this
important project to improve Palmerston and St Margaret's schools.
This will be the fourth scheme we've delivered through the Liverpool School
Improvement Programme and we look forward to continuing our collaborative
relationship with Liverpool City Council. In addition to providing high
quality, fit for purpose educational facilities for both pupils and staff,
the project will also benefit the City more widely, as we will be looking to
keep approximately 85 percent of our budget spend here in Liverpool, and
create valuable employment and training opportunities in our local supply
chain." |
