Castleward Urban Regeneration signifies a new era in Derby.Dave Bullock,
Managing Director of Compendium Living
Castleward Spencer Academy Derby Primary School is a £7.6m new-build school that is part of the extensive Castleward regeneration scheme in Derby. BSP Consulting has been involved in the £100 million housing-led Castleward development near the city centre from concept.
The new primary school at the site, will provide 315 pupil places and a 39-place nursery.
Procured through Scape Group’s Regional Construction framework and delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction.
Castleward Spencer Academy Derby in Derby started on site in the summer of 2020, and was completed in August 2021.
The new school, which has been built on a brownfield site, has been designed by Lungfish Architects and is a mix of one and two-storey blocks, incorporating innovative play spaces on the rooftop areas and terraces, built with a steel frame design.
These play spaces include an interactive playground with running track and a slide from the first floor to ground level.
This allows the school to achieve more outdoor recreational space than the site would have traditionally allowed.
The use of perimeter parapet walls, at a suitable height, has been included within the design to allow safe use of these roof areas, as well as a lift to provide access to the upper floors for those with disabilities.
The School features 12 classrooms, a shared hall and studio library spaces, along with ancillary facilities.
Procured through the SCAPE Construction framework and delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction, the £7.6m school was funded collaboratively by Derby City Council, the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Homes England, and section 106 agreements. The new primary school will serve families from the new urban village and the wider local community.
Planning permission was granted in May 2020 with work commencing in the Summer amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite this, Castleward Spencer Academy completed on budget and ahead of schedule in August 2021, opening its doors ready for the new academic year.
BSP Consulting are providing a master planning consultancy role of the whole Castleward site, we are providing civil, structural, transportation and geotechnical engineering services.
Key challenges and engineering solutions
The site is small (a 5,200m² development area), almost half the size than that usually required for a school, which has significantly influenced the building design in order to provide the most efficient outcome whilst providing a playful, innovative and creative space.
Castleward Spencer Academy – 60 Second Summary video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXpKPOuYu5I
To find our more about the Castleward Regeneration click here:
https://www.compendiumliving.co.uk/projects/castleward-derby/
Take a look at some other educational projects BSP Consulting have been involved with:
Education
Role
- Civil Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation Services
- Geotechnical Engineering
Client
Derby City Council - SCAPE - Major Framework
Contractor
Morgan Sindall
Architect
Lungfish
Project Description
A new school as part of the extensive Castleward regeneration scheme in Derby.
Value
£7.6M
Duration
1 Year
Completion
August 2021
