Manchester’s newest school has appointed BAM Construction to create its new teaching facilities.
Chorlton High School South has appointed the firm following a competitive tender process led by the Department for Education.
It follows BAM's work on other Manchester education schemes - delivering three new schools at Cheadle Hulme, Didsbury and the recently-completed Laurus Ryecroft.
It is now appointed to develop the current plot on Mauldeth Road West which is partly occupied by Greater Manchester Police dog unit and horse paddocks.
Design has been led by Pozzoni Architects.
Ewan Bell, BAM’s Project Manager, said: “Our first task is creating a new set of facilities for the police to migrate their units to, and then to begin the school programme in earnest.
“We’re greatly assisted in this by being able to conduct our own groundworks, drainage, and foundations – which are critical to this phase.
“We’ve also imported all the experience from creating these other schools within our team so it is perfectly placed to deliver outstanding facilities for the area.”
The new facilities will ultimately house 1,200 students in their three-storey ‘superblock’ school, which will also have a two-storey Sport England specified sports hall.
BAM will also deliver its own mechanical and electrical works.
The plan is for facilities to be handed over in time for the opening date of the new academic year, 2021.
BAM’s early works, being external, have made social distancing in the current pandemic conditions much easier than it would be at later stages, and the handover plans currently remain unchanged.
The site team have had to adapt to the Covid-19 outbreak, with some working from home whilst the remaining site team has taken on additional responsibility.
Before social distancing was introduced, the team made a start on-site by planting 180 trees together with 27 volunteers including 11 from BAM.
