WILLMOTT DIXON TO BUILD NET ZERO SCHOOL

Willmott Dixon has been appointed to build Leicestershire's first Net Zero in operation school.

On behalf of Leicestershire County Council, the company will build the £8.5m, 210-place Hollycroft Primary School at Normandy Way on the outskirts of Hinckley.

It forms part of the ten-year Normandy Way development, where housebuilder Bloor Homes is creating a community of 850 homes, retail space and community facilities.

Councillor Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council lead member for children and families, said: "I'm proud to say it will be the first Leicestershire school that will be carbon neutral and pupils that attend will learn in an environment that uses renewable energy, has an 'A' energy rating and the latest interactive learning equipment.

"We hope children will love learning in the new building."

Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, added: "Having worked closely with Leicestershire County Council for many years building innovative new schools, we're pleased to have another important project underway. It will result in a sustainably-focused school that is not only innovative and flexible, but also supports the local authority's ambitious Net Zero targets.

"All over the country, buildings of old have not been designed with the future in mind and this is where our pioneering approach is reinventing standards. Our Energy Synergy process will help expose any potential performance gap for the council and consequently offer the opportunity to drive down operational costs – a win for the client and for the environment."

Willmott Dixon is building the school on behalf of Leicestershire County Council through Procurement Hub's Major Projects Framework, in a project team that also includes Kast Architects.