Bolton office-to-school conversion approved

A vacant office block in Adelaide Street in Bolton is to be refurbished for use as a 27,500 sq ft primary free school.

CBRE's Manchester planning team secured planning consent from Bolton Council for the scheme at Adelaide House. The council is the owner of the building.

Once converted the building will be used by the Olive Tree Primary School, which opened in 2013 and currently accommodates 150 pupils on an adjacent temporary site in Adelaide Street. The school has been looking for new facility for the permanent site to meet growth in pupil numbers and create a modern learning environment.

The new school will have 14 classrooms, a library and resource centre, multipurpose hall, reception, rooftop sports pitch, offices and supporting facilities and an external refurbishment works to create new play areas for pupils.

The new building will expand Olive Tree's capacity to 420 pupils and 43 members of staff.

Work on the site is expected to complete in time for the start of term this September.

CBRE worked as part of a team including Kier Construction, Pozzoni Architects, Waterman Group and the Education Funding Agency.