Sustainability Joint Commendation Award Winner 2014
| Project Name | Cleddau Reach VC School |
| Project Location | Llangwm, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire |
| Contract Period | 67 Weeks |
| Project Start Date (on site) | December 2011 |
| Practical Completion | March 2013 |
| Contract Value | £4,480,120.00 |
| Type of Work | New Build |
| Construction Product | School |
| Project Manager | Andrew Nicholas, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Contract Administrator | Paul Williams, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Architectural Technician | Anthony Hayward, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| QS/Cost Consultants | Steve Owens, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Clerk of Works | Peter Parnell, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Structural Engineer | Chris Pratt, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Electrical Engineer | Neville Jones, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Mechanical Engineer | Ceri Poole, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Planning Supervisor | Meirion Robinson, Pembrokeshire County Council |
| Main Contractor | Huw Morgan, Dawnus Construction |
| Building Control | Chris Evans, Pembrokeshire County Council |
The new school was developed as the result of the amalgamation of two schools: Llangwm VC and Burton VC School.
It was intended that the new school was absorb pupils from both schools and to accommodate approximately 220 pupils from nursery age 3 to 11+.
It brings together infant and junior age groups previously located on separate sites Education sites into one campus. The school provides such community focused services such as adult learning classes, breakfast and afterschool clubs the building is used for over 14 hours a day. It is, in all senses, a community village school.
The £6M project was fully designed by Pembrokeshire County Council’s in-house team. The school has been designed to accommodate 220 pupils including a dedicated Early Years Unit, and Reception Unit, ICT Suit and Community Room. Externally, facilities include habitat areas, an outdoor classroom and MUGA
The tender was won by Dawnus Construction Holdings Limited, a Swansea contractor with a commitment to using their own direct labour force and local subcontractors, who also employed local people on the project. The design team, too, were careful in their specification to ensure that ‘material miles’ were kept to a minimum. As part of this strategy, and the recognition that construction can play a positive role in all sectors of the community, all the fitted furniture on the project was made by Norman Industries, a supported enterprise from Pembrokeshire.
The school’s design responds equally well to this context and the needs of twenty-first century learning. It is a contemporary design, which works with the contours of the land and references the surrounding village location.
The teaching areas wrap around an enclosed courtyard playground with a large canopy. This protects the playground acoustically from the road and shelters it from the prevailing winds.
An area of performance on which Pembrokeshire particularly focuses is the satisfaction of the client and users. Once Cleddau Reach VC School was complete, a post-occupancy appraisal was completed by the school for the Education Department. This dealt with issues such as design-team and contractor performance as well as the finished product.
The project was also awarded the 2014 Local Authority Building Control awards for ‘Best Education Building’.
