Cornwall County Council

Refurbishment project, Cornwall County Council

Facts and figures

  • The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project started in 2004
  • Schools were handed over in August 2007 on time and to budget
  • The construction phase took just over two years
  • Amenities include a sports hall and gyms with modern facilities; dance and drama rooms; ICT suites with provision for science and technology laboratories; all weather and grass sports pitches; adventure play grounds; and kitchens

Cornwall Schools

The Cornwall Schools project consisted of interim services being operational on all the schools involved whilst an extensive programme of refurbishment to 15 Primary Schools was rolled out in a series of phases over three years.

Running parallel to the refurbishment programme were the two new build schools of Richard Lander, an 11,422 sq m Secondary School, and Devoran Primary School.

Interserve was responsible for the Design, Build and Equity on this project as well as the long-term operation of the facilities over a 25-year period. Both new schools were built on farmland and required extensive landscape works and demolitions together with road access schemes that were jointly run with the County Council.

Achievements

  • Sustainable: The new schools were built with sustainability and the learning environment in mind and included features, such as passive stack ventilation and natural lighting in classrooms in order to improve the teaching surroundings and reduce energy consumption.
  • Minimal disruption: The schools were kept safe for children maintaining operational function during the building programme
  • Bringing together and strengthening communities: Interserve is delivering schools that are at the centre of the local area by providing both first class education and amenities that can be used throughout the year.
  • Excellent working relationship with both schools and Cornwall County Council

Senior Assistant Head Teacher, Brian Martin said: "I know the children are really excited about the new school. The building is fantastic. Everybody I have brought here for a visit agrees that it has a real 'wow' factor."

A. Cottle, Chair of Governors, Mylor Bridge Community Primary School commented: “The governors are very pleased with the approach the contractors have taken….There has been very little disruption and there have been no circumstances that have caused concern to the safety of those in school. At the same time the building work has transformed the site (which is very restricted)….”