Project Details
- Client Name: Southam College
- Project Value: £2.6 million
- Sector: Education
- Services: Building Surveying, Architectural Design , Employer's Agent, Project Management, Health & Safety
- Key partners: Stowe Valley Multi-Academy Trust, Darwin Group
- Contact: Rob Tyler – 020 8294 1000
Our involvement in the project began with our architects and building surveyors providing support to Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust as they prepared their Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) bid to fund the project. This involved close collaboration with the Trust, ensuring that the design met the needs of the school and its students. The process was not without its complexities, requiring navigation through a complex planning stage with the Local Planning Authority. This required careful negotiation and adherence to local planning regulations to ensure the project could proceed.
Following the successful bid, we assumed the role of Employer’s Agent to oversee the delivery of the project, which was designed to provide modern sports facilities for both the local community and the college. The project also included an ancillary building housing two classrooms, changing rooms, and an office. This structure was constructed with future expansion in mind, aligning with the school’s plans to potentially add an additional storey.
A particular challenge on this project was obtaining the Section 278 agreement required to provide car parking and a new coach bay at the site. We experienced some difficulty getting approval prior to the building being finished, so we arranged the respective works separately to the main contract and appointed a civil engineering contractor to carry them out. The end result was a state-of-the-art sports facility that serves as a symbol of the school’s commitment to promoting physical activity and sports participation, both within the institution and in the wider community.
