A partnership between two city firms has resulted in the delivery of a new primary school in New Islington, an area on the fringes of Manchester city centre undergoing major redevelopment.
New Islington Free School has been built by Conlon Construction assisted by architecture, building surveying and town planning practice, Cassidy + Ashton, which supported the project throughout the detail design and build programme.
Commissioned through the Education Funding Agency (EFA), the two-form entry school will accommodate 420 pupils and more than doubled the current footprint of the Ofsted ‘outstanding’-rated school.
With an extremely short timescale of just nine months, the school was built off site using modular construction methods to ensure the facility was ready for occupation in time for the September 2016 intake.
Comprising 14 classrooms, the project also includes a sports hall, dining room, kitchen and reception play area.
Michael Conlon, chairman at Conlon Construction, said: “This high-profile scheme has transformed a derelict site in the heart of Manchester into a school with modern facilities. We are proud of our role in helping to improve the area’s landscape and our extensive experience in the education sector has delivered a quality facility that is fit for purpose and allows the school to expand going forward.”
