Ashe Construction has been awarded a £12m ($15.51m) design-and-build contract to extend Bedford Academy for Bedford Borough Council in the UK.
This project, procured through the SCAPE Framework, is set for completion in August 2025, accommodating 300 additional students.
The 60-week project, managed by Pick Everard, will see the construction of 16 classrooms, changing rooms, a dining area, and a community café.
Located on Mile Road, Bedford Academy currently has 1,350 students enrolled, with plans to increase this number to 1,800 by 2029.
The classrooms will feature modern whiteboards and ICT facilities, with room layouts designed based on student feedback, allowing for remote access to whiteboard technology and PowerPoint presentations.
Designed by GSS Architecture, the extension will serve as a multiuse community hub beyond school hours.
It will feature rooms with dual internal access points and an external landscaped terrace, providing secure outdoor access.
The two-storey extension aims to achieve net-zero carbon in operation status.
Ashe Construction will use a special coating for the external walls to ensure airtightness and select materials that contribute to a modern aesthetic.
The school will harness renewable energy through photovoltaic panels and air-source heat pumps.
Ashe business development director Andrew Morris said: “We’re very sensitive to the needs of schools’ when we’re working in live settings so we will bring all our experience to bear on this project for Bedford Academy.
"We also plan to involve the whole school community in events to celebrate project milestones and will find opportunities to show the pupils, first hand, the variety of construction-related careers available to them in the future."
Additionally, Bedford Academy has recently installed a new 3G artificial turf pitch while Ashe will be constructing four new changing rooms for 180 students and dedicated referee facilities.
Additional facilities to be added include 20 new car parking spaces with disabled access, four electric vehicle charging points, and 77 cycle spaces.
