Rebuild plan for blaze-hit school wins accolade

THE plan to rebuild a Yorkshire school which was ravaged by fire has been highlighted as an example of how capital projects should be handled across the country by a review for the Government.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Apr 2011, 01:00 BST

Campsmount Technology College, Doncaster, is to get a new £10m building as the result of a pilot project being carried for an independent review into school builds by company director Sebastian James.

His review has criticised Labour’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme for being too bureaucratic and wasteful of public money.

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It highlighted the way Campsmount is now being redeveloped as an example of how cost savings can be found.

Under BSF plans the school would have been redeveloped at a cost of around £18m, according to Mr James’s review. Now it is going ahead as a £10m project. The review claims 30 per cent cost savings can be found on school rebuilding projects. It also recommends standardising the design of new builds across the country to save time and money.

Campsmount’s site is being developed by Wates Construction. The company’s head of education Steve Beechey said: “We can testify to the efficiencies created through a more streamlined procurement process. We are delighted to be working on the pilot scheme at Campsmount Technology College in Doncaster, which is referred to extensively in the James Review. This project is now eight weeks into the build programme and is on track for completion in February 2012.”

Campsmount’s head teacher Andy Sprakes said: “Hopefully, the lessons learned from the pilot capital review will now ensure that the schools that missed out, after the cessation of the BSF scheme, will now receive funding to rebuild and refurbish so that all young people can enjoy the learning environment they deserve.”

The original school building was destroyed by fire in 2009.

Related topics:GovernmentLabourYorkshireDoncaster