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News Release from: Beard | Subject: Schools building project
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 October 2006
Beard completes first schools building
project
Beard has completed the first project in its schools building programme for Oxfordshire County Council ahead of schedule and within budget.
Beard, the southern England construction company, has completed the first project in its £12m schools building programme for Oxfordshire County Council ahead of schedule and within budget Carterton Community College received the keys to its new two-storey, six-classroom Maths block a month early thanks to the smooth running of the £900,000 construction project, which started in February
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 27 Jun 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Beard has been unbelievably fantastic," said Carterton Community College Headteacher Julie Tridgell.
"They are efficient and hard-working, and the quality of the building they have produced is outstanding".
"They have also bent over backwards to organise the building work so that classes and exams could go ahead as normal".
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Carterton Community College is a mixed comprehensive for 11 to 16 year olds and pupil numbers have grown from 500 to 750 since the school opened.
The Maths department will move into the new building after the half term holiday.
Beard Project Manager Adrian O'Shaughnessy said: "The Carterton Community College project illustrates how Beard produces cost-effective solutions that enhance the quality and design of the end product".
"We worked very closely with Mouchel Parkman both before and throughout the construction project so that the building could benefit as much as possible from our specialist knowledge and network of reliable suppliers".
The extension at Carterton Community College features traditional brickwork over a structural steel frame, bright blue window frames and colourful interior finishes.
The entrance foyer leads to a lift as well as a staircase".
"Beard's knowledge of the market and their understanding of design and buildability meant that we could work in partnership to enhance the design and quality of the building at no extra cost," said Alan Spehnjak, Senior Architect from Mouchel Parkman, who were the project's lead architects, structural engineers and mechanical and electrical engineers".
"Beard produced better solutions and products than we thought possible within the budget, and Beard's supply chain partners worked as a team to co-ordinate the different aspects of the build within a tight building programme".
"The quality of the workmanship is high, and the brickwork is among the best I've seen because of the attention to detail." Ray Sturgeon, Principal Project Officer at Oxfordshire County Council said: "I'm pleased to see the successful completion of the first Beard framework project with Oxfordshire County Council".
"I have never taken over a building so complete or so well presented".
"Beard has worked well with the county's consultants, Mouchel Parkman, to deliver the scheme ahead of programme and within budget".
"I now look forward to the continuing development of our relationship".
Beard teams are already working on three further projects under the framework agreement with Oxfordshire County Council: a new sports hall and changing rooms at Bartholomew School, Eynsham, a new assembly hall at Marlborough Church of England School, Woodstock, and a new assembly hall and changing rooms at Warriner School, Bloxham.
Each project is worth between £1m and £1.7m.
Beard competed in a shortlist of nine to become one of three construction companies awarded framework agreements with the council.
The agreements provide the council with greater certainty and consistency in terms of cost, quality and service levels.
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