McAlpine lands £22.5m Chetham’s contract
CHETHAM’S School of Music has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine as lead contractor for the £22.5m development of its new school.
The development, designed by architect firm Stephenson Bell, will house two performance spaces, ensemble rooms, several practice rooms as well as teaching rooms.
It will be located between Victoria Station, the MEN Arena and the existing school building; and is the first piece of the jigsaw for proposals towards making the Medieval Quarter and Northern Gateway of the City more accessible to the general public.
Drivers Jonas Deloitte is project managing the building of the school, while Chetham’s is being advised throughout the development programme by Michael Oglesby from commercial property developer Bruntwood.
Work will start on the new school building at the end of the month.
Michael Oglesby, who has led the project for the school since its conception and is a Trustee of Chetham’s Hospital School and Library, said: “Chetham’s is undoubtedly one of the finest Music Schools in the world, and the new school building will provide students and staff with a facility which benefits this status.”
Claire Hickman, head of Chetham’s, said: “This is a very exciting time for Chetham’s, these works signal the beginning of a new era for the school. The investment in the buildings will not only provide the best facilities for our students and staff to grow and learn, but they will also provide our partners with greater opportunities to work with us.”
Once the new school building is complete, the latter phases of Chetham’s masterplan will begin. This will include the refurbishment and conversion of the existing Millgate and Nicholls buildings into student accommodation. Additional refurbishment to the boys’ dormitory and current performance venue in Whiteley Hall will also be undertaken.
