Stepnell to build £5.7m Chesil Cove Federation Primary School
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Construction company Stepnell has been selected by Dorset County Council to build a new £5.7 million primary school in Portland which is set to play a key role in the 2012 Olympic Games.
The company will build the 1,900m² Chesil Cove Federation Primary School at Osprey Quay. It will cater for 315 pupils and replace the existing Brackenbury Infant School and Underhill Junior School, which will be amalgamated when the project is completed.
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Situated close to Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, one of the main venues for the 2012 Olympics, the school and site will be used as a facility for competing athletes during the Games, before opening its doors to pupils.
In addition to state-of-the-art learning facilities for primary school students, the school will house a 26-place nursery. Stepnell will also create an external multi-use games area and a 400m² outdoor play area as part of the scheme. The company has already demolished a 600mm-thick concrete base which will be re-used during the construction works.
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The school will incorporate a number of sustainable features including a brown roof, rainwater harvesting and biomass boilers which will run on eco-friendly wood pellets, helping it to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. Stepnell will also employ local subcontractors to work on the project wherever possible and use locally-sourced building materials such as Portland stone.
The main construction project is due to be completed in April 2012, with minor post-Games revisions and final fit out works being carried out at the conclusion of the Olympics to ready the school for its first intake of pupils.
“We’re thrilled to have been chosen by Dorset County Council for this landmark scheme which will not only transform education in Portland, but will also play a significant part in the staging of the 2012 Olympic Games,” says Mark Wakeford, Stepnell managing director. “We have a strong track record of building high-quality, sustainable schools fit for the 21st century and are looking forward to using our expertise in the education sector on this exciting project.”