Galliford Try seals academies double

Significant developments have taken place on three academy schools projects around London, totalling £60m-plus.

A preferred bidder has emerged for a £22.5m deal in Dartford, Kent, and an estimated £20m scheme in Walthamstow, east London.

It is also understood that the race for a £25m scheme to the south of the capital has narrowed to two contenders.
Galliford Try has chalked up victories on both the Leigh Technology Academy in Dartford and the Walthamstow Academy.

The Leigh design and build job will house around 1,500 students at the school  of technology, business, enterprise and sports.
The academy will span around 12,800m2 and include a sports hall and car parking. It will be built on the site of the existing Leigh City Technology College, which will remain operational until the new academy opens its doors in time for the September 2007 intake of students.

But demolition tasks and final landscaping will continue beyond this date. Work on site is expected to start around April this year.

The Walthamstow task, for United Learning Trust, includes a three-storey building for 1,150 students. The facility will incorporate information communication technology suites, a theatre and sports pitches.

And only two of the original bidders are now showing interest in the Bridge Academy deal in Hackney.

It is understood that Norwest Holst, Galliford Try and Shepherd have all withdrawn, leaving a straight shoot-out between local firm William Verry and Mace.

A project source said: “I think the main reason the firms pulled out was workload – such as the Olympics-related schemes –
rather than the project itself.”

A preferred bidder for the scheme is expected by the end of this month, with the academy due to open in time for the September 2007 term.

The 10,000m2 academy will be built on the site of the now-demolished Laburnum Primary School and include sports and performance halls, a games area, plus underground car park.