Design and build contracts awarded for Penrith school expansion
Top Notch Contractors and Architects Plus are to begin a feasibility study for the scheme to expand Beaconside Church of England School, off Hutton Hill.
Westmorland and Furness Council have opted to stay local in handing contracts to the Cumbrian-based firms, after a consultation period followed by the securing of cabinet approval for the project earlier this year.
The planned expansion will enable the number of children educated at the school to increase over time, creating 14 additional resource provision places for Key Stage 2 pupils.
These places provide additional support for children with special educational needs and disabilities giving them an opportunity to progress and partake in mainstream school life.
Section 106 funding provided to the council by housing developers will be used to finance to the project, to try and ensure enough school places are available for growing communities as fresh housing is built.
Cllr Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for highways and assets, said: “Every year we deliver almost £60m worth of investment in our communities. Where we can, we try to keep our suppliers local, so that this spending can further benefit our area.
“Out of our 72 current suppliers, 82% are small to medium sized enterprises and 41% of spend is with SMEs based in Cumbria, so it’s great to see this approach continuing with the Beaconside School project.”
Cllr Sue Sanderson, Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills, added: “This project will bring so many benefits to the local area, both financial and for education.
“We need to ensure there is sufficient, local provision for school places for our young people and to keep improving our facilities. This can only happen through close working with multiple partners to deliver positive projects like this one.”