Progress Report: April 2008

This page provides progress reports on the new buildings project.

Below, you can view a video image of the building of the new Infants' School - the picture is refreshed every 3 seconds.

At April 2008, the salient points are:

Meetings/Planning

• A series of post-permission meetings have been held with the Council's Highways and Planning departments, in order to discharge the conditions which state 'No development shall commence until…." I am delighted to report that a solution to all these restrictive conditions has been agreed with the Council

• Monthly Project meetings have continued to occur with the Lead Consultant, the Architect and relevant specialists, with governors Messrs Oldershaw and Byrom, and the Clerk & Treasurer.  

• The Architect reached a design freeze with both of the Heads of the Infant and Boys' Junior School, week ending 23 November.  Design changes will be rigorously controlled. Specification and sample decisions are in the process of agreement.

• The development programme has been scheduled in draft and aligned with future school calendars in an attempt to find the least disruptive route. Additionally, the Design Team is developing the critical path with Seddons. The phasing of each element is covered in the Business Plan.

• In recent weeks there has been more internal consultation with senior management and a plan of how car parking will work during the construction phase, as the Hopefield site will be occupied by Seddons. Additionally, Seddons has provided a site logistics plan of where and how the construction works will operate and their Contracts Manager is scheduled to meet with the staff of the Boys' Junior School.

• The official appointment of the Design Team has moved forward. The Lead Consultant, Cassidy and Ashton (the School’s Architect), has engaged a number of essential disciplines, eg Quantity Surveyor, Structural Engineer, Mechanical and Electrical Consultants etc. The appointment document is almost ready for signature, and will be complete before the works commence. All insurance policies have been checked by the School’s broker and Mace and Jones.

• A Risk Register is continually developed to identify/mitigate/control some of the potential problem areas, eg ground conditions, inclement weather, supply chain delays, utility connections etcetera. Already, we have benefited from Seddons’s input into these issues and cost savings through their contacts. 

• Seddons will shortly coordinate a neighbourhood relations programme via a leaflet drop, explaining what will be happening and some useful contact numbers. 

• The temporary planning permission for the 'portacabins’ at Beech House expires in the summer of 2008. The permission for the two junior school temporary buildings expired this summer and an extension of five years was granted.

• Detailed design work of the new Girls’ Junior School will commence only when we have reasonable certainty of the out turn costs of the Infant and Boys’ Junior Schools.

• The design work and consultation needed on the Sixth Form Centre took place at a meeting with both Heads on 5 December. A cost plan is required covering the various options; however, the Design Team has been focussed on the phase one works. 

The Financing

• The Project’s business plan and regular updates have been thoroughly analysed by the Project Team and the Finance Committee. Responsibility of the cost plan rests with the Project Team, whilst the funding and cash flows with the Finance Committee, who act as overall monitoring agent.

• Regular reporting and examination of out-turn cost projections have been instituted in order to ensure that the risk of cost overrun is continually reviewed and necessary actions taken.  Current financial challenges are being examined and resolutions are being pursued.

The Work

• The physical works connected with the closure/diversion of Back Park Road (the highway that runs through the Hopefield site) together with the construction of the new footpath into Park Road is now underway.  

• Following the initial Enabling Works, the commencement of the main works for Park Road and the Infant School are programmed for the beginning of April and May 2008 respectively, following agreement of the Maximum Prices, with completions in March and April 2009 respectively.

• The chosen contractor for phase one (Infant School and Park Road), G & J Seddons, has contributed in assisting with some of the design and practical buildability issues faced by the Project Team.  

• Work has continued surrounding the preferred procurement process and advice obtained from Mace and Jones, a specialist property law practice in Manchester. The route of partnering with an Agreed Maximum Price has been agreed and all the necessary legal contract paperwork is almost finalised.

• Finally, the Project Team are managing a whole host of activities, including appointing a Clerk of Works, culvert diversions, the removal of Japanese Knotweed and contaminated ground.