BAM Construction wins £9.3m contract for Sheffield’s second UTC

BAM Construction has won a £9.3m contract to develop the second University Technical College in Sheffield, for human sciences and computing.

The contractor, which has offices in Leeds, will build UTC 2 Sheffield on the Olympic Legacy Park in Don Valley.

BAM is currently on the Park building the Oasis Academy Don Valley.

UTC 2 Sheffield will specialise in human sciences and computing, with an aim of preparing students for employment in two of the key growth sectors in the Sheffield City Region. The college will open in September 2016, and cater for 600 pupils aged 14 to 19.

To support the specialisms, there will be specialist teaching facilities on the ground and first floors of the four-storey building. A central atrium will create spacious, light, learning environments.

The second and third floor terraces and a dining space on the third level will offer views of the Olympic Legacy Park, which will include a community playing pitch for rugby league side Sheffield Eagles, a community basketball arena which will be home to the Sheffield Sharks, the Oasis Academy, the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and public cycleways.

UTC 2 Sheffield will source 10% of its energy from renewable sources with Sheffield’s district heating presently being considered. All plant is designed to meet the EFA’s facilities output specification ensuring efficient and robust solutions are provided throughout.

BAM will relocate most of its Oasis Academy team over to the UTC development and plans to work with the same suppliers, including local firms Sothall Roofing, Brebur, Jumbo Partitions and Smith’s Decorators.

Paul Cleminson, project director, said: “It is fantastic for BAM to continue our relationships at the Olympic Legacy Park and to contribute more cutting edge facilities for its future.

“These will be first class facilities for students to learn critical skills that employers in Sheffield will need. We look forward to working with the local community to maximise the benefits of the project.”

Work is due to start on site in October, with the UTC opening September 2016.

The Sheffield College, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry are working together to deliver UTC 2 Sheffield.

UTC 2 Sheffield will provide students with academic qualifications and technical skills for the human sciences and computing sectors. Among these include the healthcare technology, sports science, exercise medicine and wellbeing, which are all key growth sectors in the Sheffield City Region.

Andrew Cropley, executive director, strategic planning and business development, The Sheffield College, commented: “We are very pleased to be working with BAM to deliver an extraordinary school for 14 to 19-year-olds. The design makes the very best of the site and will provide an incredible learning environment for our students, with remarkable neighbours. BAM’s experience of this site and of building UTCs gives us even greater confidence that our building will be ready to welcome students from across Sheffield and beyond for September 2016.”

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