North Somerset Council and Cabot Learning Federation have appointed Kier as main contractor for a £30.5m extension of WInterstoke Hundred Academy in Weston-Super-Mare.
Funded by Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure, the new school building will provide an additional 900 pupil places for Winterstoke Hundred Academy.
Procured through the Southern Construction Framework, the three storey 80,000 sqm building has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation, a BREEAM excellent rating and have a 10% biodiversity net gain.
Kier will run a sustainability laboratory on-site to host vocational training during construction from the Kier team and consultants – part of the contractor’s ‘social value’ pitch.
Steve Taylor, Cabot Learning Federation chief executive said: “The partnership with Kier and North Somerset Council has been key to bringing us to the point where we can expand the offer of this already over-subscribed school. At its inception two years ago, the school spoke to its community regarding its intended focus on environmental science. The opportunity to hone this curriculum focus within a net zero building is extremely exciting and entirely in line with our priorities as a trust”.
Construction has begun and is expected to complete in the summer of 2023.