WYG completes school PFI

White Young Green has delivered a £17.5m PFI project to replace Boldon School in South Tyneside. The consultant worked within a team led by Gleeson Building to build the 1050-pupil secondary school. The team comprised Gleeson Building’s north east regional office, architects at multidiscipline consultancy Waring and Netts, plus the Newcastle office of WYG.

The new school which is located on New Road, has been constructed in three blocks: the three storey Block A comprises teaching facilities; Block B comprises a 200-place theatre with fixed seating and back of house changing; Block C incorporates a 25-metre indoor swimming pool and sports centre.

WYG provided services including civil and structural, mechanical and electrical and environmental consulting.

Trevor Little, technical director, WYG Newcastle, said: “We enjoyed a very good working relationship with the design and construction team, having worked with them on similarly high profile PFI schemes before. In addition, the support and enthusiasm for the project from the headteacher has been unparalleled.”

All three companies started work on the project in July 2003 following a competitive tender which was issued by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council. Work commenced on site in March 2005.

Bill Law, director in charge of the project for, said: “The project has run very smoothly and despite the school’s concern regarding access to their existing building, we managed accessibility for staff, students and the community association users next to our site, throughout the construction period.”

Richard Howe, lead architect for Waring and Netts, said: “Throughout the whole building we have maximised circulation space and have created space for informal student interaction which reflects the School’s open and friendly atmosphere.”