21 May 2008

Interserve, the services, building and maintenance group, has been awarded a £23 million contract by Torbay Council to re-build Torquay Community College (TCC).

TCC is part of a select band of "pathfinder" projects showing a way forward in the Building Schools for the Future programme. The aim of these programmes is to transform teaching and learning through well-designed buildings which provide inspirational environments for students, teachers and the local community, leading to better educational outcomes.

Worn out buildings at TCC are being replaced by brand new, state-of-the-art, purpose-built environments. Engaging the local community, pupils and staff in extensive consultation has continually shaped the plans for the new buildings, which have been designed to offer a wider range of services.

Interserve recently started site-enabling works, and the main works are due to start in August. The project is being funded through a grant from the government and a contribution from the council's capital programme.  

The new building is due to be completed in the summer of 2010. The completion date of the entire project is expected to be later that year, after demolition of the remainder of the old building and final landscaping has taken place.

The new college is designed to incorporate a series of small schools of around 200 pupils each, which will help ease the sometimes difficult transition between primary and secondary school. As the students move up the school they will also be able to study in a vocational skills centre for pupils aged 14-16 years so that they can broaden their learning experience and either move more smoothly into further study beyond 16 or into employment or enterprise. The new school will have an adult learning centre for the community, a library and a crèche that will massively increase the potential for community involvement.

The college will be one of the "greenest" in Torbay, helping to take the lead with sustainable developments in the area. The designs are being continually assessed using standards laid down by the Building Research Establishment (BREEAM) and it is hoped that a "very good" rating will be achieved. Among the innovative features is a rainwater harvesting system that Interserve will provide free of charge as a demonstration of its commitment to delivering a sustainable project.

Torbay Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Councillor Anna Tolchard, said: "This announcement is a hugely exciting development and we look forward to working with Interserve to produce a fantastic new school for the young people of Torbay. The contractors have already started on site preparing for the main works that begin in August. This promises to be a very exciting time, turning the designs into a reality."

David Paterson of Interserve added: "We have a long and successful history of creating a variety of educational facilities in the south-west, and we look forward to working in partnership with Torbay Council to deliver this inspiring new college."