£16m SEND school project announced as part of £100m East Midlands investment

Willmott Dixon has been chosen to build its fifth special education needs and disabilities (SEND) school for Lincolnshire County Council.

It has been procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework to build the £16m St Lawrence School in Horncastle, which was designed by project architect Kier Group.

The new school will be located next to the original one, confirmed as end-of-life by condition surveys, which will remain open during construction before being demolished when the new school opens in the 2023-24 academic year.

The school design implements a fabric-first approach to deliver an improved U value surpassing the standard found in most schools. Further sustainability features include air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points. The school is part of the council’s wider £100m SEND school investment programme.

Nick Heath, director of delivery in the Midlands at Willmott Dixon, commented: “We’re pleased to be strengthening our relationship with Lincolnshire County Council on creating this future-proofed SEND school.

“We take a consultative approach to projects, especially sustainable solutions. Initially, the council wanted to refurbish the existing school, but the work required to refurbish and extend it wouldn’t have been value-for-money in the long-term. We therefore recommended the creation of a new school.

“The school’s sustainable measures will help to future-proof it against upcoming government targets, while also allowing the council to incorporate sustainable solutions in the future at minimise costs and disruption.”

The new school will include a health hub offering physiotherapy, soft play and sensory areas, as well as a full education suite including science labs, design and technology and art classrooms, allowing pupils to complete a full curriculum offering.

Willmott Dixon is working with Lincolnshire on several similar developments across the county as part of the council’s £100m investment to improve SEND support for local children and young people.

The strategy will bring major improvements, increasing the number of school places to meet demand, improving provision to meet all types of needs and reducing long travel times for students.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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