Arson-attacked Leyland school rebuild completes

John Turner Construction has finished a 14-month project to rebuild St Mary’s Catholic High School in Lancashire, following extensive fire damage.

Designed by Cassidy + Ashton, the £7.5m build and refurbishment project modernised the previous building’s facilities, providing classrooms, science and technology departments, a sports hall, extended dining areas, car parks and outdoor space.

The 37,500 sq ft multi-phase project was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

The fire in 2013 caused extensive damage and was tackled by more than 120 firefighters. The school, which was originally built in the 1950s, was closed for a month following the incident.

One of the county’s first specialist technology colleges, the school accommodates 900 pupils.

Lawrence McBurney, associate at Cassidy + Ashton, said: “It’s been an honour to be involved in this project and to have got the opportunity to do something positive after such a terrible tragedy.

“Whilst the fire caused much disruption, the incident provided the opportunity to re-design the facilities and make them more suitable for a modern education environment.”