Cost of project to build schools in Seaton Delaval a new carbon neutral campus soars

The original budget for constructing the facilities was just over £37m, but now it is expected to cost £13m more, bringing the total over £50m.

Northumberland County Council’s cabinet is expected to approve awarding the contract to build the school to BAM Construction at a meeting next week, subject to a final decision by the full council in February.

According to a report on the tender process for cabinet members, inflation and the need to redesign the school’s drainage system have resulted in the soaring cost.

The cabinet member responsible for schools, Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, said: “The rise in construction costs since this project first began is unprecedented and I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard on this tender to ensure this important project remains on track and that the proposed contract will deliver the best possible value.”

The report to cabinet said the rising cost of steel work was responsible for £500,000 of the increase, and that inflation and rising fire safety specifications had increased the project’s costs for internal partitions by £700,000.

It was also estimated that the project’s mechanical and electrical systems would now cost £2m more.

Curtain walling has doubled in price costing the project an extra £1.1m, as has sprinklers, which will cost around £500,000 more.

The report also revealed a design review of the building was able to find £2m of savings to mitigate some of these price rises. It also recommends more money is made available for pre-construction work to avoid further price increases before the contract is awarded.

Cabinet is expected to approve borrowing over £10m, subject to full council approval, to help meet the increased cost of the project.

The campus, which will include a fitness studio, swimming pool, and 3G pitches that would be available to the community, was granted planning permission in December last year.

Both schools will have separate classrooms but will use shared science labs, art studios, and sports facilities.

Set to be located not far from the schools’ current site on The Avenue, the campus will be the first to have net zero carbon emissions in the county, keeping running costs low to allow more funding for teaching as well as helping the county meet its environmental targets.

It will have capacity for over 1,000 students and is currently on track to open in September 2025.

Cllr Renner-Thompson said: “The designs for this new school are ambitious and innovative and look absolutely fantastic.

“We want all our children in Northumberland to have the best start in life and to grow up well, having everything they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

“This investment in our young people and the wider community will transform education and sports facilities in Seaton Valley for generations to come, bringing wide-ranging benefits to education, health, and wellbeing.”

Astley Community High School and Whytrig Middle School currently have a maintenance backlog exceeding £18m, and the council has a £80m maintenance backlog for all of its maintained schools combined.