Work begins on £8m Lancaster school
Collinson Construction has started work on a building for the 750-pupil Central Lancaster High School.
Using Modern Methods of Construction, the firm is building a new science and technology block for the school, with work to demolish four existing buildings at the Crag Road school, originally built in 1966, starting shortly.
Once complete, the building will feature five science laboratories, new facilities and workshops for design technology and a food technology kitchen.
The works will be followed by a second phase later in the year which will add an additional 11 classrooms.
A new central courtyard will be developed between the new and existing buildings, opening up a central green space for pupils.
Collinson Construction is main contractor for the scheme, with the firm’s modular division building the new science and technology block using MMC, meaning it can be built at Collinson’s factory offsite in Catterall, before being assembled on the school grounds.
Robert Duxbury, managing director of Collinson, said: “We’re proud to be working in partnership with Central Lancaster High School on this project which will provide new high quality teaching spaces and benefit students and staff for generations to come.
“We’re investing heavily into our own modular manufacturing factory in Lancashire, including new state-of-the-art equipment, which coupled with our modular expertise and inhouse design and manufacturing facilities, has allowed the majority of the construction phase to be completed in our factory, with the final fit out works being completed on site – meaning minimal disruption to the wider school.”
Funding has been secured for the new school buildings thanks to a number of successful bids from The Bay Learning Trust to the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund with the support of Stratus9. Consulting.
It is hoped that the school will open to pupils in January, with the second phase set to complete in September 2023.
This project forms part of a range of upgrades to facilities across the family of schools managed by The Bay Learning Trust, including new science labs at Morecambe Bay Academy, along with fire safety and energy improvements at Carnforth High School and Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy.
Construction will take place largely offsite. Credit: via Freshfield
