County Antrim construction company McAvoy has won a £37.5 million tender to build a secondary school in Essex.
Awarded by the UK Secretary of State for Education, the project will see it construct the new Orsett Heath Academy in Thurock. The school will have capacity for 1,200 pupils aged from 11 to 16 in three storey accommodation which stretches to over 8,000 square metres.
Work at the site of the permanent building started in May and the school is due to be completed in September 2024.
McAvoy specialises in the manufacture of permanent and semi-permanent modular buildings, with much of the construction process carried out offsite in the company’s factories before being assembled at the site.
It has recently delivered projects including Merstham Park School, a pioneering ‘Low Carbon Pathfinder’ project, and The Cavendish School, the world’s first International Baccalaureate special free school for Department for Education, as well as 2 SEND classroom blocks at Great Oaks School for Southampton City Council.
McAvoy CEO Ron Clarke welcomed the the Orsett Heath Academy project.
“Our team has significant experience of delivering high-quality accommodation within the education sector to demanding programmes and we are delighted to be appointed for this major project by the Department for Education,” he said. “We have invested heavily in our manufacturing and delivery infrastructure in recent years with a view to securing projects of this nature where sustainability, quality and delivery within budget and programme are essential.”
Steve Munday, CEO of SWECET, said the local community is excited that work on the school has commenced.
“We’re so pleased that building work is underway and would like to thank all those who have supported us in our community during this time,” he said.
