en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK contractor Willmott Dixon has started construction on a new primary school commissioned by Leicestershire County Council, located in western Loughborough.
Garendon Primary School is expected to open in September 2027, providing 420 places for primary school students. Once completed, the project will help the county council meet the growing demand for accessible, high-quality schools in the area.
The project was procured through the Major Works Framework managed by Pagabo on behalf of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, and is situated between Dishley and Hathern. The site is greenfield land (formerly farmland), located at the heart of the Garendon Park residential development, which has increased the need for additional educational resources.
Nick Heath, Director at Willmott Dixon, said the company has worked with Leicestershire County Council for 20 years on numerous major construction and regeneration projects, including other schools in the county, building a highly impactful partnership. He expressed pride in creating another high-quality learning environment for the Leicestershire community and advancing the construction of another sustainable school. Upon completion, the project will support the local authority in providing much-needed school places for the county's ongoing growth.
Willmott Dixon will use a standardized school design specifically developed for Leicestershire County Council to build this £11.8 million, two-form entry school. The approach shortens design time, reduces costs, and minimizes waste by repeating and refining proven designs across successive schools.
To maximize building energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, careful consideration has been given to building materials and quality targets that comply with building regulations, including the installation of a 300-square-meter photovoltaic array on the roof to provide sustainable energy. The project is expected to be completed in July 2027, ready for delivery before the school opens in September of the same year.
Cllr Charles Pugsley, Leicestershire County Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said the county is growing, and the top priority is ensuring new schools in Leicestershire are built in the right locations. Willmott Dixon's start of construction on Garendon Primary School is a significant milestone in the development of this new community.
To bring broader benefits to the Loughborough community, Willmott Dixon will also support local students and existing schools, helping students develop learning and experience in the construction industry, including providing multiple apprenticeship positions, donating laptops, offering enrichment programs, and conducting mock interview workshops.
The Garendon project builds on a 20-year partnership with Leicestershire County Council, during which Willmott Dixon has delivered a series of primary schools for the council, including Hollycroft Primary School in Hinckley—the first primary school in Leicestershire designed to operate as net-zero carbon—and Wellington Place Primary School in the Airfield Farm development in Market Harborough, a £9.3 million project that opened in September 2024.
