Future schools need a dose of reality
09:14 18 Feb 2004
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Concerns over the insurability and buildablity of the "exemplar" school designs unveiled last week have failed to dampen the industry's enthusiasm for the £2.2bn Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
CJ understands that while insurers think there are issues to be resolved, for example, the location of school bins, which are usually the first target for school arsonists, the insurance industry is broadly supportive of the designs.
Helen Ladd, a spokeswoman for Zurich Municipal, said: "It's important to ensure every aspect is looked at from every angle. Discussions are still on-going."
Some schools have expressed doubt whether the exemplar designs - five primary, five secondary and one "all-through" school - will ever be built.
Chris Dale, project leader for the Sheffield BSF pathfinder, said: "We view the exemplar designs almost like a concept car at a motor show. It looks absolutely beautiful, but you don't expect to see it on the road. But what you will see coming from it is much better design."
Chris Wiseman, project manager for the Bristol pathfinder, commented: "This is a project to show that inspirational schools are affordable. It will act as a benchmark to show what should be possible."
And Jon Rouse, chief executive of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, warned: "The exemplar designs all have something to offer. But they are not the finished article. Each of the designs needs to be adapted and developed for real schools on real sites."
The exemplar designs are intended to support the government's £2.2bn BSF programme, which aims to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in England.
Graham Matthews, head of public sector work at EC Harris, said: "This announcement does not come soon enough, as there has undoubtedly been a delay in the procurement process for new schools, while everyone was waiting to see which LEAs figured in the first wave of government funding (see box for details) and what procurement approaches might be established. As a result many school PFI projects have dried up over the past six months."