Brief
Most of the original school buildings, covering three sites, were in a relatively poor condition and no longer fit for purpose.
A case was put forward to rationalise the college’s accommodation on a single site and provide new buildings with modern facilities. As a result of housing growth in the town, the school was oversubscribed and needed to increase its net capacity to 1,440 (comprising 1,200 pupils aged 11-16 and 240 post-16 students). Governors, staff, students, and parents wanted to have a college in Glossopdale that the community could be proud of.
Key Info
Location:
Glossop, Derbyshire
Contract Type:
JCT Design and Build
Client:
Derbyshire County Council
Contractor:
Henry Brothers + Total Reclaims
Completion Date:
Extension – February 2024
Demolition – March 2022
Project Value:
Extension – £3.6m
Demolition – £200,000
Imagery
Scope
Our Building Surveyors led the demolition of the existing school buildings, including the tender process and managing the contractor on site.
In addition to delivering efficient accommodation, our architects considered future expansion when developing the design for the college. This included teaching spaces and an increase in parking on site.
It was important for the new college to reflect a strong sense of community and view the surrounding picturesque landscape. The end user wanted the sixth form to have a separate identity and contain a social area, catering facility, teaching rooms, and study spaces that would be flexible in size. Rooms on the ground floor of the main school building also provide flexibility through the inclusion of moveable walls, which allow spaces to be used for classrooms, open spaces, or larger working areas.
Throughout the extension project, the team faced several challenges, including COVID-19 and Brexit (which impacted lead times for materials). We adapted our design and ensured the programme was flexible to accommodate delivery times and meet deadlines. There was also weather disruption due to the heavy snow. As Employer’s Agent, we ensured the project ran smoothly and provided one point of contact for the school. Despite the economic climate during the construction period, we overcame the challenges by working collaboratively with the contractor to find the best possible solutions for our client and prevent delays. Our close working relationship with Derbyshire County Council and Henry Brothers played an instrumental part in the success of this project.
Testimonial
“It’s great to see the handover of the new phase of the planned Glossopdale expansion, and we’re really pleased that it’s been delivered ahead of the
original strategy to help us meet local demand.”
Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member for Education,
Derbyshire County Council
Result
The team went above and beyond to deliver high-quality educational facilities within the budget and ensure defects were resolved promptly.
Glossopdale Community College has been allowed to provide further pupil placements and offer enhanced facilities for current and future pupils to get the most out of their education journey.