In 2012, Hounslow Council commissioned infastructure consultancy Pick Everard to deliver multiple new primary, secondary and special education needs school places over a five-year period within challenging cost parameters.

The requirement for new school places in Hounslow is extensive and as such, a dedicated multidisciplinary team was allocated to develop the new and improved facilities.

Once completed the £300m Capital Expansion Programme will have delivered 3,000 new primary places, a further 5,000 in secondary education and 600 new SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) places.

To date, the local authority has created more than 6,000 school places through the Capital Expansion Programme as follows:

• 2,840 primary school
  
  
• 2,820 secondary school
  
  
• 440 SEN

Working in partnership with Pick Everard

This alliance has contributed significantly to this successful outcome, with new buildings and extensions at 24 primary, infant and junior schools, and some selected secondary schools.

Alongside this, the firm has also undertaken a programme of dedicated refurbishment and new build projects to expand nine of the borough’s existing SEND sites culminating in substantial new build, all through specialist schools.

Unique acoustic challenges

Unlike many traditional school expansion and improvement schemes, Hounslow presented the team with a series of unique challenges as a result of the borough’s location under the flight path for Heathrow Airport. At its busiest, one plane lands or takes off here approximately every minute – meaning potential disruption to the teaching and learning environments sitting below.

We worked with our acoustic sub-consultants who surveyed each school to determine exactly what impact the aircraft noise has on each site and what measures must be employed to mitigate this to provide a high-quality learning environment.

Bespoke and futureproof  solutions

We developed an affordable yet flexible design concept, incorporating a highly insulated concrete structural envelope combined with a sophisticated ventilation strategy, balancing noise insulation with thermal comfort.

This bespoke acoustic design was adapted and applied to the new buildings as well as pre-existing schools throughout the programme, demonstrating value for money while delivering top quality facilities for staff and pupils.

The completed projects have all been designed to withstand the effects of the evolving environment and any impact it might bring on the schools such as the Heathrow Airport expansion.

Best value through innovation

Building in value was vital for the London Borough of Hounslow, which needed to balance strict budgets and timescales with the requirement to deliver high quality new teaching and learning spaces.

• We assessed the most suitable route for each project – an extension or refurbishment, or a full new build.
  
  
• BIM was implemented throughout the programme to achieve an integrated approach, advancing designs and increasing stakeholder engagement during the design. For example: BIM training through free workshops to help the client understand and use the data efficiently; Producing 3D walkthroughs and visuals to share with key stakeholders.
  
  
• We also worked to deliver savings on the actual build costs through developing a standardised palette of materials and considering various modern methods of construction.
  
  
• construction solutions were developed that deliver value through greater longevity and reduced maintenance during the whole building life.

This was most clearly demonstrated when initial plans proposed an extension to Hounslow Town Primary School but, upon examining the project in further detail, it was identified that a new build scheme on an adjacent site would actually offer better value and provide a long-term solution to pupil provision for the local authority.

Not only did this mean that the school could be delivered with less disruption, but it also acted as a catalyst for further projects, including a brand new music centre for the community to use.

Community benefits beyond school places

Engaging with and providing opportunities for the communities in which we work is priority for the team at Pick Everard and this programme is no different.

• positive local economic impact.
  Some 30% of the workforce involved in this series of projects lived within 40 miles of the site and the entire supply chain spend was delivered through SMEs.
  
  
• community sports.
  It is hoped that sports facilities included within school projects across the borough will be available for wider community use outside of school hours in addition to pupils and teachers during term time – creating an important legacy for local people and benefitting not only school children but their families and neighbours.

Pick Everard is working with the London Borough of Hounslow into 2020, completing an estimated £120m of school projects across the borough. It is expected that this second phase will be completed in September 2020.