Kier appointed as preferred bidder for Hereford and Havelock projects

KIER has been announced as the preferred bidder for the design and redevelopment of Hereford Technology School and Havelock Academy for North East Lincolnshire Council, projects with a combined value of £37 – 40 million.

Both the school and the academy will be replaced over the next three years by modern, state-of-the-art buildings, designed to help to raise the educational standards of those attending as well as meeting the needs of the communities of North East Lincolnshire.

Outline designs for the redevelopment of Hereford School.

Kier is aiming to make the new facilities flexible, to accommodate future curriculum needs as well as those of the present.

Work is due to start at Hereford in April 2009 with an aim to open by September 2010. Work on Havelock will follow closely with their opening anticipated to be January 2011. The predecessor buildings will largely be demolished.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children’s services, said: “We are looking forward to working with Kier Education over the next three years. This announcement represents an important step forward with for these projects. North East Lincolnshire will benefit from the new Hereford School and Havelock Academy within three years, bringing a further £39 million into the borough’s schools ahead of our main Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.”

Over the summer, two bidders worked on detailed designs, room layouts and costings for Hereford School, which was used as the sample scheme. Outline designs were also produced for Havelock Academy. During this time a consultation event was held for children and young people from Hereford School when they were able to work with bidders on the designs for their new school. An evaluation process resulted in Kier being chosen as the preferred bidder.

Initial innovative designs for Hereford showcase Kier's specialism of technology. The mix of linear and circular shapes enables classrooms to be different shapes and sizes, offering a flexible approach to learning. The external landscape has also been considered and a number of outdoor learning environments will also be provided. The school will be built on the corner of Hereford Avenue and Westward Ho and will link with the Learning Village approach which is being developed with the Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education and Franklin College.

Elaine Davies, headteacher at Hereford Technology School, said: “Hereford Technology School are delighted with the partnership that has developed between us and Kier. The proposed design enables us to embrace current curriculum developments but is flexible enough to meet future needs such as the delivery of 14-19 diplomas.

"Initial designs show a school with our students and their pastoral care at its heart. Equally important to us is our community and Hereford will continue to lie at its centre with the capacity to offer a wider range of courses and services. As well as looking to the future, we also hope to encompass and celebrate our town’s heritage in the specially designed forum and landscape. It certainly places us at the front of the transformational journey of education and at the heart of the Learning Village. We are looking forward to the next stage of the development and sharing our proposals with the community."

Commenting on the recent announcement, director of Kier Education Neil Pates said: “The student-centred designs ensure that the pupils of Hereford Technology School and Havelock Academy gain maximum benefit from the combined commitment of the authority, sponsors and Kier to deliver the very best learning environment for the community they serve.”

A drop-in consultation event, allowing the community an opportunity to see initial plans for Hereford School, will take place on Tuesday December 2 at the school. It will be held between 4pm and 7pm and the public will be asked to give their views on the designs before a formal planning application is made later in the month. The designs and images for the school are not final but give an idea of what the school could look like. The school, council and Kier want to engage members of the community in the development of final plans for the project.

Roger Edwardson, deputy director of learning, said of the community consultation: “We are determined to ensure that our plans for the new schools represent the needs of their students and the local community. Further design events will take place with young people at both Hereford and Havelock as the projects move forward. We would like as many members of our community to come along to the consultation event and give their views to enable us to move forward with these projects together."

Detailed designs will soon be drawn up for Havelock Academy. Principal Nick O’Sullivan said: “The sponsor, trustees, governors, staff, students and their parents are delighted with the decision to nominate a preferred bidder, who can help them to realise the vision that was set out when the Academy was created. We look forward to the creation of an innovative structure that will inspire our students to broaden their horizons and contribute to the regeneration of the Academy’s wider community.”