New classrooms at Newport school costing almost £1m
Construction work has started on a new classrooms at a Newport school at a cost of almost £1 million.
The £900,000 extension is being built to provide improved facilities comprising three classrooms at Newport CE Junior School based in Avenue Road.
Shropshire based builder Morris Property is working alongside Telford and Wrekin Council on the new development.
The school has capacity for 360 pupils and the extra classrooms will not increase that figure, but will free up space to meet its learning requirements.
The head Nicola Moody said: “This is such an exciting time for Newport CE Junior School – we are delighted with the prospect of our new three classroom extension and the opportunities these brand new facilities will bring to our children.
"Our school family will enjoy watching this project develop and look forward to making full use of our new building.”
The extension featuring a steel-framed classroom block with an external brick finish and provide new fencing, landscaping and work on the car park. is expected to be completed in February.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s education boss Councillor Shirley Reynolds said: “This scheme is being project managed by Telford & Wrekin’s BIT Design Team.
“The BIT team has worked closely with the school and governors going through various feasibility schemes to arrive at a fully designed and costed scheme which was awarded to Morris through the council's Dynamic Procurement Tendering System.
Thrilled
“The council has worked well with Morris Properties on other educational and commercial schemes and look forward to delivering a fully turn key solution for the school with the minimum inconvenience which will benefit pupils, staff and the wider Newport community.
“This is part of a wider education expansion across the borough which will see a further £35m worth of investment in our educational estate.”
Morris Property's contracts manager Ian Carswell said: “We’re thrilled to have won a second contract for a school in the Telford area. We are looking forward to seeing the build develop and handing it over in early 2020.”
The firms's other council partnership schemes include building new units at Telford business park T54, and at Hortonwood West and refurbishing Telford’s Snowboard and Ski Centre.
The extension plan was given the thumbs up last month.
A heritage statement submitted with the application said the school falls within the town’s historic conservation area.
But planning officers said the brick annexe would be shielded from nearby properties by trees and bushes.
“The proposed extension has been designed to meet the school’s increased requirements and provide an open and inclusive learning space - the extension will be providing an additional three classrooms and toilets to increase the current school provision and a link corridor," it added.
