Construction works are moving swiftly on as the new Chinnor Community Building takes shape. The topping out has now been completed, the roof is on, and the builders have completed the first fix electrics, fitted the windows and doors and are rapidly progressing to installing internal fixtures and fittings. A very visible innovation is the array of solar PV cells on the zinc roof, which will generate electricity for the centre and will also be linked in to the grid as part of the feed-in tariff scheme.

When completed, the Community Building will have six changing rooms to cater for the adjacent football pitches and playing field. High specification shower rooms are now being tiled and sealed. As well as sports facilities, the new centre will act as a community hub and have a function room, clubroom, bar and kitchen in addition to providing office space for the Parish Council.

PCMS Design are project managing the whole build having previously carried out the design, specification and now the contract administration. We have been making site visits each week to support the contractor as the building progresses.

Works are on target for completion by this Christmas, with a grand opening planned for early in the New Year.

On Friday the 25th September we held a coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. There were plenty of homemade cakes on offer, along with tea and coffee. We would like to thank the staff from John Clegg & Co and Rectory Homes for stopping by and helping us raise an amazing £100 and of course eat the cake.

We are delighted this month to welcome our new Architectural Technician Katy Harrison to the PCMS team.

Katy joins us following four years of studying interior design and architecture at Sheffield Hallam University. Also during that time, she gained work experience at a top Oxford architectural firm, working on a range of health care and public sector projects.

Katy is looking forward to gaining an in-depth knowledge of construction management, and playing a key role in developing schemes from project briefing through to completion.

“I am delighted to be joining PCMS Design and very much look forward to meeting with clients in the coming months and years. I have a passion for design and enjoy creating spaces which meet the needs of the client.”

For many people, the summer holidays are now well underway. Where school construction projects are concerned however, this is a very busy time and we are actively involved in the management of several educational schemes at the moment. Schools and academies are naturally keen to complete the bulk of messy and noisy construction works during the school holidays wherever possible.

This summer, we are undertaking the contract administration for an extension and external works at an academy in Henlow, the construction of a new pre-school building in Caddington just outside Dunstable, an extension to and internal reconfiguration of a private nursery and a new free-standing classroom block at a High School in Luton. We are also progressing several other projects through the planning and procurement stages for schools.

With even small projects taking between nine and twelve months from first concept to completion, it is worth starting the process early.

Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education

The Secretary of State for Education has just announced the granting of permission for part of a school playing field in Caddington near Dunstable to be set aside for construction, so that a pre-school building can be built. A new pre-school is required partly to fulfil the government’s objective to create enough nursery places for every 2-3 year old child, and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School was earmarked as an ideal location.

St Mary’s in Caddington is located on a large educational campus and the governors, in conjunction with Early Year’s officers from Central Bedfordshire Council and the Catholic Diocese of Northampton, are seeking to build a new single storey pre-school within the grounds. A site was identified to the rear of the existing buildings close to the existing nursery class, but a small section of playing field was needed in order to deliver the internal floor space required, together with outside play areas.

PCMS Design demonstrated that the existing pitches could still provide sufficient space for physical education and sporting opportunities for school pupils. Because this meant that there would be minimal impact upon school activities, there was a strong case for the pre-school based upon the needs of early year’s education in the surrounding area, and Department for Education chiefs granted the change of use.

Construction works are due to begin in the next few weeks.

Picture Credit: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.