Conlon cracks on with Cheshire East education projects
The contractor has been appointed to deliver a hat-trick of schemes, including the conversion of the Dean Row Centre in Handforth into a SEND school.
Cheshire East Council appointed Conlon Construction to the trio of school schemes via the North West Construction Hub Framework.
Dean Row Centre conversion
Cheshire East has awarded Conlon a £5.3m contract to convert the former Dean Row Centre in Handforth – a vacant building previously used to support adults with learning disabilities – into a SEND school for up to 80 children and young people aged between four and 19 with autism.
Wilmslow High School extension
The expansion of Wilmslow High School, a £11m project, will enable the secondary school to increase in capacity from 1,500 to 1,800 pupils.
Conlon is on site delivering the project, which is due to complete in time for the next academic year.
The scheme – which includes a single-storey extension to the main school building, internal remodelling and a further extension linking the existing Olympic Hall and Sports Hall blocks – will take the school from 12-form to 14-form entry.
Kingsley Fields primary school
Conlon has also been appointed to deliver pre-construction services for a new primary school within a 1,100-home development at Kingsley Fields.
Kingsley Fields, a 143-acre site north of Nantwich, is being developed by Taylor Wimpey, Redrow, and David Wilson Homes.
The single-form entry primary school will provide up to 210 places.
The project is currently awaiting planning approval but is expected to start on site in 2023 for completion in summer 2024.
Darren Lee, commercial director at Conlon Construction, said: “Our extensive experience of education projects means that we understand the best value principles and mission critical deadlines involved in delivering these three projects for Cheshire East Council, and we are working collaboratively with all stakeholders to identify cost efficiencies throughout each project’s lifecycle
“Each programme demonstrates the council’s strategy of maximising existing assets while ensuring it invests in the education of all young people across Cheshire East, including primary, high school and special educational needs.”
