Council and contractor sign on the dotted line
Telford & Wrekin Council and Shepherd Construction Ltd have signed on the dotted line to agree the rebuild of Ercall Wood Technology College on its current site.
The design and build contract signing took place at Wellington Civic & Leisure Centre when senior officers from the council and representatives from Shepherd Construction Ltd signed the five year contractual agreement.
Ercall Wood Technology College was given the green light by Telford & Wrekin’s Plans Board last month.
The school will now undergo a complete £14m rebuild that will see the construction of a new 900 place secondary school with associated car parking, landscaping and sports facilities and the demolition of the existing school.
Facilities will include new high quality sports pitches which will be available for community use. As part of Telford & Wrekin Council’s Building Schools for the Future programme, each school will have a sporting specialism and at Ercall Wood, it will be cricket.
Following the signing of the contract, pupils from Ercall Wood Technology will officially welcome Shepherd Construction Ltd onto the school grounds to start work.
Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: "It has been a great start to 2013 and the signing of the Ercall Wood Technology contract marks yet another milestone in our extensive BSF programme.
“Now the contract is signed, we will be able to look forward to the work commencing on site - this time next year, the new school will really be taking shape.
“Schools across the borough have very bright futures ahead of them with our ambitious £200m BSF programme.”
Head Teacher Chay Davis, of Ercall Wood Technology College, said: "Our pupils are very excited about getting a new school and can’t wait to greet Shepherd Construction Ltd who will be our neighbours while we see the site transformed."
Peter Bates, programme director for Shepherd Construction added: “We’re delighted to now be in a position to start work on this exciting new school project that will deliver a great learning environment for students and a valuable resource for the local community. We look forward to working closely in partnership both with the school and the Council as the construction programme progresses.”
Ross Hamilton, pupil at Ercall Wood Technology College, age 14 years, said: “When the new school is built, I am looking forward to walking through the door for the very first time – looking at everything in front of me, ready to help me learn.”
