Sixth form centre

Currie & Brown provided cost consultancy advice and undertook the role of employer’s agent on a new £5 million build scheme which provided general teaching, science and arts spaces.

The proposal to construct a sixth form centre at The Isle of Wight College was born after the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) withdrew funding for the redevelopment of the college. The college’s commitment to provide a sixth form centre required prompt delivery and the acquisition of privately raised funds.

There were two key drivers. Firstly, the delivery of the scheme to enable the provision of sixth form education as well as the need to contain all the project costs within the budget.

After careful review, Currie & Brown concluded with the college that a traditional steel frame and clad building would better meet the requirements of the college and could be delivered within the timescale, provided that planning permission for the scheme could be obtained promptly. We therefore procured a contractor on a two-stage design and build basis while the appointed architect obtained planning permission.

In the event, planning permission, LSC approval and procurement were successfully obtained to allow the scheme to start on site in January and handover was achieved in early October, allowing the sixth form to start in September with a formal opening by the Princess Royal in late October 2010.

Currie & Brown was instrumental in helping to deliver the scheme within the allowed timescale and the overall budget. Establishing that a traditional building (rather than a modular one) could be constructed in the timescale required added significant value to the college’s estate.