Age 16-18
Plans to build a new eight-classroom block at New City College Havering Sixth Form campus in Hornchurch have been given the go-ahead.
The building, an extension to the existing Berners-Lee House block at the campus in Wingletye Lane, was agreed under permitted development rights, which made the decision process quicker, cheaper and less complex.
Back in April it was announced that the popular college had secured a government grant of £4 million for additional classrooms in recognition of a significant increased demand for student places.
This grant will part-fund the £5.065 million development – with the remaining £1.065 million being funded by New City College itself. Construction on the new block is due to start around April this year and the expected completion date for the classrooms and other works is set to be March 2025.
The new building will accommodate up to 200 students in large high-tech classrooms and associated space. It will be the same height and have the same appearance as the existing Berners-Lee House block and it will blend seamlessly into the existing buildings infrastructure.
It will be developed with a commitment to BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent, a global standard which sets targets for the sustainability of the design, construction and operation of a building project.
Sustainability initiatives that will be considered within the development include Solar PV on the roof to convert sunlight to electricity, energy efficient LED lighting, a green heating system, cycle stands to promote green transport, and EV charging points for electric cars. These will all ensure reduced carbon emissions, a low impact design, ecological value and biodiversity protection.
The project will include the demolition of some existing old buildings that were part of the original Dury Falls School, which opened in 1935 and closed in 1989, to become Havering Sixth Form College. The original Berners-Lee House was officially opened by the Mayor of Havering in December 2015.
Senior Project Manager Apoorva Sherekar said: “This project is pioneering some revolutionary ways of working and is setting an example to other educational and business institutions. For instance, the way that planning permission has been achieved by the professional team, could be used as a future model to guide others on how it can be done. Once completed the development will ensure that students and staff will have the best teaching and learning experience possible.”
The key teams who will work on the development with New City College’s Project Managers are the main contractor Jerram Falkus; Quadrant Town Planning; Enshrine Projects & Services; McComb Partnership; IBI Group; and Ridge & Partners.
