Authority chooses contractor’s Sunesis range to increase primary school’s capacity

Warwickshire County Council has become the first local authority to buy a standardised school design from Willmott Dixon and Scape.

The two companies launched Sunesis last year, one of several standardised approaches being developed by architects and contractors in response to the government’s James Review of investment in education.

Ministers’ response to the review’s recommendations is still to be published, but many in the sector believe contractors will be expected to lead the way in developing ways of designing and building schools more efficiently.

Willmott Dixon and Scape have said Sunesis provides pre-designed primary and secondary schools at a fixed price and can achieve a cost per pupil of £8,500 - £10,000 against a typical cost of £15,000 - £20,000.

The companies said several other councils had expressed an interest in the model, which could lead to projects with a total value of £100 million.

Warwickshire chose Sunesis to increase capacity at Oakfield Primary School in Rugby, using the £2.2 million Keynes model and adding in optional extras of internal sliding wall, play equipment and a tensile canopy. 

Galliford Try has been working with Sheppard Robson, Scott Brownrigg and Sarah Wigglesworth on a standardised construction method dubbed “optimum schools”.

Willmott Dixon, Wates, Capita Symonds, Laing O’Rourke and Cartwright Pickard Architects are all also working on standardised school designs.

 

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