Case studies
The Harefield Academy, Middlesex |
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| Client: The Harefield Academy |
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| Service provided: construction project managers |
Brief:
(1) Three-phase new build secondary school development including the demolition of existing buildings, enabling works, dry training facility contract a main academy buildings contract to include:
- Sport facilities;
- Outdoor athletics;
- Sports science;
- Health specialisms.
Programme:
The Academy is sponsored by David Meller, Watford Football Club and Haig Oundjian an ex-Olympian, generating a lot of support from sporting organisations.
Key building issues are:
- Planning:
The site for the Academy falls within the Green Belt, and the local planning authority have imposed planning constraints which include enhanced elevation treatment, screening the roof top plant and extra landscaping.
- Site:
Historically the site is prone to flooding as there is a high water table in the area and Thames Water currently discharge storm water on the site. Extensive drainage has been proposed to make the playing fields usable for the Sports Academy. The poor ground conditions also mean that the building will require pilled foundations and the buildings raised to negate the flood risk.
- Buildings:
The dry training facility and all-weather pitch is a requirement of the Football Associations for the Sports specialism. All the existing buildings will have to be demolished on completion of the project. The project has been procured through a two stage Design and Build route and has benefited from high levels of value engineering and buildability input from the chosen contractor, Taylor Woodrow.
Innovation:
Issues managed include:
- Successful integration into an existing project team assembled through the Academies design framework.
- Engagement of the pluralist stakeholders and active maintenance of bespoke process including relationships.
Background:
The Harefield Academy was born out of a desire to create a new community school in Harefield village where the students would be offered a strong core curriculum with a vibrant specialism in sport, sports science and health: “Achievement through Active Learning”
Further information about the background and progress of the project can be found on The Harefield Academy web site.
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Neil Hyatt