£3m construction deal announced for Leyland teaching facility

A £3m contract to build a new teaching facility in Leyland has been awarded to Preston-based Collinson Construction.

The contract involves the design and construction of a new block of 12 classrooms at Runshaw College’s campus off Langdale Road.

The 1,000 sq m block will comprise two storeys and will bolster teaching space at the college.

Robert Duxbury, managing director of Collinson Construction, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be working in partnership with Runshaw College, as well as the professional teams at Day Architectural, Curtins and Magnitude Quantity Surveyors to expand the college’s site provision of first class teaching space.

“This fantastically designed space will ensure students are able to gain the academic skills they need to succeed in an outstanding environment.

“The building will serve the college and its students for many years to come.”

The Buttermere block, as the building will be known, follows in the Runshaw tradition of naming buildings after parts of the Lake District as a nod to the ancient woodland its campus is built within.

Approved by South Ribble Borough Council’s planning committee last summer, the scheme has received finance from the Department for Education’s ‘Post-16 Capacity Fund’.

Clare Russell, principal and CEO at Runshaw College, said: “We are really proud of our impressive college campus and we constantly invest in our estate to ensure we provide high quality learning and social spaces, resourced with industry standard equipment and technology.

“Buttermere will meet the needs of our students both now and in the future, ensuring that our beautiful college campus, facilities and resources continue to be outstanding.”

Construction is set to take eight months and be completed in October.